Present-day Illinois was inhabited by Indigenous cultures for thousands of years. The French were the first Europeans to arrive, settling near the Mississippi and Illinois rivers in the 17th-century Illinois Country, as part of their sprawling colony of New France.

Illinois, Amerika Birleşik Devletleri'nin Ortabatı bölgesi 'ndedir ve Kuzey Amerika'nın Büyük Göller bölgesindeki sekiz eyaletten biridir (aynı zamanda Ontario, Kanada'yı da kapsar).

Geographical and historical treatment of Illinois, including maps and a survey of its people, economy, and government. Its capital city is Springfield, and its largest city and most important cultural and economic center is Chicago.

Welcome to Illinois.gov! Find places to go, things to see. Search through all the different services offered by the various Illinois agencies.

Your guide to the best of Illinois. Places to go, things to do, the best places to eat and drink, must-see Chicago, trip ideas and inspiration for your Illinois vacation.

American Territory The Illinois-Wabash Company was an early claimant to much of Illinois. An early western outpost of the United States, Fort Dearborn, was established in 1803 (at the site of present-day Chicago), and the creation of the Illinois Territory followed on February 3, 1809.

Illinois is a state in the Midwestern United States. It shares its borders with Wisconsin to the north and Indiana to the east, while the Mississippi River forms its western border with Iowa and Missouri.

Discover the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign—where innovation, community, and discovery drive world-class learning, research, and public impact.

Illinois was once known to be a swing state (voted for either Democratic Party or the Republican Party). Today, Illinois is known to be a blue state, voting for the Democratic Party.

Illinois has a maximum north–south distance of 390 miles (630 km) and 210 miles (340 km) east-west. Total area is 57,918 square miles (150,010 km2), ranked 25th in size of the 50 states.