Illinois

Illinois is one of the most heavily populated states in the country, currently having more than 12 million residents. Two US presidents, Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses Grant, had made Illinois their political base and a possible third is in line with Junior Senator Barack Obama going strong in the 2008 presidential race. The state also enjoys a diverse economy, with state revenues coming from agricultural produce, manufacturing, energy resources, and services. The headquarters of some of the biggest multinational companies such as Boeing, McDonalds, and Motorola are located in Illinois as well.

Illinois generally experiences hot, humid summers and cold winters and an average of 50 thunderstorm days in a year. The state is prone to intense cold fronts that can plunge the temperatures down to negative 20 or 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Tornadoes also ravage various parts of Illinois with about 35 passing through the state annually. The average rainfall in a year is around 48 inches while snowfall is over 38 inches.

The capital of Illinois is Springfield while its largest city is Chicago, which also happens to be the third-largest in the country. More than 65 percent of the state population are Whites, 15 percent are Blacks, 13 percent are Hispanics, and a relatively small minority are Asians and a mix of other races.