Illinois

A great Midwestern state that represents The North, the South, and the Midwest all in one. This is because the length of Illinois runs up and down for over 300 miles: the northernmost area being along the Wisconsin border, and the southernmost area being at the confluence of the Mississippi River and Ohio River, located at the small town of Cairo (pronounced KAY-row). The state of Illinois consists of flat plains, cultivated farmlands, rich river valleys, a few forests, and well laid-out urban cities. The largest of these cities is the major metropolis of Chicago with its massive skyline and high population of just under 3 million people. Its metropolitan, surrounding-area population amounts to an even larger 7 million people. The second largest city is Aurora, then Rockford. Springfield and Peoria are practically equal in size, with a population of around 113,000 each. This is an awesome state that everyone should visit.