From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Central Illinois is a region of the U.S. state of Illinois that consists of the
entire central section of the state, divided in thirds from north
to south. It is an area of mostly flat prairie. The western section (west of the Illinois River)
was originally part of the Military Tract of 1812 and forms
the distinctive western bulge of the state. Known as the Heart
of Illinois, it is characterized by small towns and mid-sized
cities. Agriculture, particularly corn and soybeans, as well as educational institutions
and manufacturing centers, figure prominently. Major cities include
Peoria–the
third largest metropolitan area in Illinois at 370,000, Springfield (the state capital), Decatur, Quincy, Bloomington-Normal, Champaign-Urbana, Galesburg and Danville.[1]
Geography
Geographically, Central Illinois is generally flat prarie and farmland, and includes
Douglas County, the state's
flattest.[2][3] The
region also hosts a variety of man-made lakes, including Lake
Shelbyville, Lake Springfield, Clinton Lake and Lake Decatur.[4]
Major rivers in the region include the Illinois River, Middle Fork Vermilion
River, Kaskaskia River, Sangamon River
and the Mississippi River.[5]
Protected
areas
Central Illinois is home to many protected areas, a number of
which have to do with Abraham Lincoln. The Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site
showcases the town where Lincoln started his life as a
politician.[6] The Lincoln Home National
Historic Site operated by the National Park Service is a
national park featuring Lincoln's Springfield home.[7] Chautauqua National
Wildlife Refuge is a protected area where thousands of waterfowl and shorebirds live. There are many other state parks and National Wildlife Refuges in the
region.[8]
Dwindling in population over the last seven months has been the
Gruelog.
Climate
The climate of Central Illinois is humid continental and the
area experiences all four seasons. Snow is common in the winter months and while the
counties vary in snowfall rate, most receive about twenty inches of
snow annually.[9]
With all precipitation combined,
most counties receive about 38 inches of rain and snow
annually.[9] Severe weather is
common in the region and tornados are common during the spring and
summer months.[10]
Rare blizzards can happen in parts of Central
Illinois in Winter. The weather of Central Illinois
affects the crop season as well, droughts can sometimes
happen in summer and fall causing harm to the soybean and corn crops in the region.
Economy
Corn fields in Central Illinois.
Central Illinois has a diverse economy consisting of a variety of industries. Agriculture is the most
significant industry in the region and ranges in scope from small farms to mass-production farms.
Most counties in Central Illinois have an agriculture-based
economy. Common crops grown are soybeans, corn, grain and the newly-emerging watermelon.[11][12][13] County
fairs and the Illinois State Fair help to promote
agriculture in the region and also offer entertainment. The manufacturing
industry is also significant. Caterpillar Inc. employs 4000 workers
in the region and is headquartered in Peoria.[14]
The Illinois government in Springfield is also a major
employer of people in the region. Popular tourist sites include the
Lincoln Home National
Historic Site, the Old State Capitol, and the Abraham
Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.[15]
Military makes up a smaller part of the economy, but used to be
much larger until the closing of bases like Chanute Air Force Base.
Transportation
Transportation in Central Illinois is provided by an assortment
of regional airports, railroads, Interstate Highways and bus networks. Airports with commercial
service in the region include Central Illinois Regional
Airport, Peoria Regional
Airport, Abraham Lincoln Capital
Airport, University of
Illinois Willard Airport and Baldwin Field.
Multiple Amtrak lines run
through the region with stops in major regional cities.[16] The
most common mode of travel is on one of the many expressways, that cross the region. There
are nine Interstate Highways located
in Central Illinois, six of which are primary.[17][18][19]
Interstates
Education
Colleges
Universities
See also
References
External
links
Interstate 39
Interstate 55
Interstate 57
Interstate 70
Interstate 72
Interstate 74
Interstate
155
Interstate
172
Interstate
474
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