Central Illinois

Agriculture, particularly corn and soybeans, as well as educational institutions and manufacturing centers, figure prominently.

Major cities include Peoria, Springfield (the state capital), Decatur, Quincy, Champaign–Urbana, Bloomington–Normal, Galesburg, and Danville.

[1] Historically prairie, Central Illinois is generally flat and includes Douglas County, the state's flattest.

[7] Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge is a protected area where thousands of waterfowl and shorebirds live.

[15] Military makes up a smaller part of the economy, but was much larger until the closing Chanute Air Force Base in 1993.

Central Illinois is culturally and demographically similar to much of the Rust Belt and Midwestern United States.

Transportation in central Illinois is provided by an assortment of airports, railroads, interstate highways, bus networks and the rivers.