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Illinois on the US map
Illinois sits in the Midwest region of the United States — specifically the midwest rust subregion as defined by the US Census Bureau. With an area ranking of #25 of 50, Illinois is mid-sized for the United States. The map above highlights Illinois in gold and color-codes the 49 other states by region.
Whether you're a student studying US geography, a traveler planning a road trip, a teacher building a lesson plan, or simply curious, the goal of this page is to give you a complete picture of where Illinois is and what surrounds it. Click any other state on the map above to navigate to its dedicated page.
Capital and largest city
The capital of Illinois is Springfield. The largest city by population, however, is Chicago — not Springfield. This pattern (capital ≠ largest city) holds for about 33 of the 50 US states, including most of the famous mismatches like California (Sacramento, not LA), Florida (Tallahassee, not Miami), and New York (Albany, not NYC).
The historical reason for these mismatches dates to the late 18th and 19th centuries. When state founders chose capitals, they often deliberately picked smaller, more centrally located towns to avoid concentrating political and commercial power in the same place. They worried that a capital in a major port or commercial city would be too vulnerable to mob influence (a real concern at the time) and would skew political decisions toward commercial interests.
Borders and neighbors
Illinois shares land borders with 5 other US states: Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana. Each link goes to that state's dedicated page where you can see its own map, history, and facts.
Geographic features at a glance
- Total area rank: #25 of 50
- Population: over 10 million
- Coastline: great_lakes
- Mountain ranges: no major mountain ranges
- Time zone: Central
- Region: Midwest — midwest rust subregion
- Mississippi River: bordered or crossed by
- Route 66: on the historic Route 66 corridor
Major highways and transportation
Illinois is connected to the rest of the country by the federal Interstate Highway System (planned by President Eisenhower in the 1950s). The historic Route 66 — the "Mother Road" running from Chicago to Los Angeles — passes through Illinois. Major airports serve Chicago and Springfield, with regional connections to the rest of the state. Amtrak rail service connects parts of Illinois to the national passenger rail network, though geographic isolation and population density vary.
Illinois notable firsts
- Birthplace of one or more US presidents
🌟 Illinois trivia
- Chicago invented the skyscraper — the Home Insurance Building (1885) was the first.
- Lincoln spent most of his political career in Springfield, IL — but was born in Kentucky.
- The state produces more pumpkins than any other — over 90% of US Halloween jack-o-lanterns originate here.
- Route 66 starts in Chicago and ends in Santa Monica, CA.
Illinois vs similar states
How does Illinois compare with 3 other states in the same region and size category?
| State | Capital | Pop | Area rank | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | Springfield | over 10 million | #25 | 1818 |
| Indiana | Indianapolis | 5 to 10 million | #38 | 1816 |
| Iowa | Des Moines | 1 to 5 million | #26 | 1846 |
| Kansas | Topeka | 1 to 5 million | #15 | 1861 |
Bordering states (5)
Illinois shares borders with 5 other US states, listed alphabetically below. Each link goes to the dedicated state page.
Practice US geography daily — free
Statedoku is a 3×3 daily geography puzzle. Illinois appears as an answer or constraint clue on most days that match its region, borders, time zone, or quirks. Five minutes a day.
Play today's puzzle →Similar states to Illinois
If this page interested you, you may also want to explore states with similar geography, history, or culture. These states share Illinois's region (Midwest) and similar size category: