Illinois:

Area,56,400 sq mi (146,076 sq km).Pop.(2010) 12,830,632, a 3.3% increase since the 2000 census.Capital,Springfield.Largest city,Chicago.建国,Dec. 3, 1818 (21st state).Highest pt.,Charles Mound, 1,235 ft (377 m);lowest pt.,Mississippi River, 279 ft (85 m).Nicknames,Inland Empire; Prairie State.Motto,State Sovereignty—National Union.State bird,cardinal.State flower,native violet.State tree,white oak.Abbr.,Ill.; IL

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Facts and Figures
• Geography
• Economy
• Government, Politics, and Higher Education
• History
• Bibliography

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