{{Short description|Region of Illinois, United States}} thumb|300px|Central Illinois

'''Central Illinois''' is a region of the U.S. state of Illinois that consists of the entire central third of the state, divided from north to south. Also 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.

A total of 45 counties are typically considered to be within Central Illinois, with a population of 1,874,635 {{As of|2020|alt=as of the 2020 U.S. census}}. Major cities include Peoria, Springfield (the state capital), Decatur, Quincy, Champaign–Urbana, Bloomington–Normal, Galesburg, and Danville.<ref name="Nelson">{{cite book |editor=Nelson, Ronald E.|title=Illinois: Land and Life in the Prairie State|year=1978|isbn=0-8403-1831-6}}</ref>

== Geography == thumb|Central Illinois within Illinois

Historically prairie, Central Illinois is generally flat and includes Douglas County, the state's flattest.<ref name="USGS">{{cite web|url=https://geonames.usgs.gov/domestic/|title=Domestic Geographic Information|publisher=U.S. Board on Geographic Names|access-date=2008-11-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCQ/is_/ai_n6197055|title=Douglas County|last=Mink|first=Randy|publisher=Travel America|access-date=2008-11-11 | year=2004}} {{dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> The region also hosts a variety of man-made lakes, including Lake Shelbyville, Lake Springfield, Clinton Lake and Lake Decatur.<ref name="CIL">{{cite web|url=https://maps.google.com/|title=Map of Lakes in Central Illinois|publisher=Google Maps|access-date=2008-11-11}}</ref> Major rivers in the region include the Illinois, Middle Fork of the Vermilion, Kaskaskia, Sangamon and Mississippi rivers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://maps.google.com/|title=Map of Rivers in Central Illinois|publisher=Google Maps|access-date=2008-11-11}}</ref>

=== Protected areas === Central Illinois is home to many protected areas, many related to Abraham Lincoln. The Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site showcases the town where Lincoln started his life as a politician.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lincolnsnewsalem.com/ |title=Lincoln's New Salem |publisher=Lincoln's New Salem |access-date=2008-11-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081022213419/http://www.lincolnsnewsalem.com/ |archive-date=2008-10-22 }}</ref> The Lincoln Home National Historic Site operated by the National Park Service is a national park featuring Lincoln's Springfield home.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/liho/index.htm|title=Lincoln Home National Historic Site|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=2008-11-12}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=33650|title=NWR Information|publisher=US Fish & Wildlife Service|access-date=2008-11-12}}</ref>

== 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.<ref name="MRCC">{{cite web|url=http://mrcc.sws.uiuc.edu/climate_midwest/maps/il_mapselector.htm#|title=Climate information|publisher=Midwest Regional Climate Center (MRCC)|access-date=2008-11-11|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613021545/http://mrcc.sws.uiuc.edu/climate_midwest/maps/il_mapselector.htm|archive-date=2010-06-13}}</ref> With all precipitation combined, most counties receive about 38&nbsp;inches of rain and snow annually.<ref name="MRCC" /> Severe weather, including tornadoes, is common during the spring and summer months.<ref name="ILTOR">{{cite web|url=http://www.isws.illinois.edu/atmos/statecli/Tornado/illinois_tornadoes.htm |title=Illinois Tornado Data |last=Angel |first=Jim |publisher=Illinois State Climatologist Office |access-date=2008-11-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081209032829/http://www.isws.illinois.edu/atmos/statecli/Tornado/illinois_tornadoes.htm |archive-date=2008-12-09 }}</ref> 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 the summer and fall causing harm to the soybean and corn crops.

== Economy == left|thumb|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 family farms to mass-production farms. Most counties in Central Illinois have an agriculture-based economy. The most common crops are soybeans and corn.<ref name="ILSBA">{{cite web|url=http://www.ilsoy.org/|title=Illinois Soybean|publisher=Illinois Soybean Association Web Site|access-date=2008-11-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.illianawatermelon.org/|title=Illinois Watermelon|publisher=Illiana Watermellon Association|access-date=2008-11-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.agr.state.il.us/about/agfacts.html|title=Agriculture in Illinois|publisher= Illinois Department of Agriculture|access-date=2008-11-11}}</ref> County fairs and the Illinois State Fair help to promote agriculture in the region and also offer entertainment. The manufacturing and service industries are also significant. Caterpillar Inc. employs more than 15,000 workers in the region and was formerly headquartered in Peoria.<ref name="EDC">{{cite web|url=http://www.centralillinois.org/sites/default/files/Top%20employer%20header.pdf |title=Central Illinois Top Employers |publisher=Economic Development Council for Central Illinois |access-date=2014-05-10 }}{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Major insurance provider State Farm Insurance is headquartered in Bloomington. 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.enjoyillinois.com/|title=Central Illinois Tourism|publisher=illinois Department Of Commerce And Economic Opportunity |access-date=2008-11-11}}</ref> Military makes up a smaller part of the economy, but was much larger until the closing Chanute Air Force Base in 1993. {{Clear}}

== Culture == Central Illinois is culturally and demographically similar to much of the Rust Belt and Midwestern United States. The southern part of the region shares much in common with Southern Illinois and northern areas of the Upland South, while the northern part has a more distinctly Midwestern character.

West-Central Illinois is also known as Forgottonia.

The area is also at the heart of one the most famous rivalries in American sports, the Cardinals–Cubs rivalry.

== Transportation == Transportation in central Illinois is provided by an assortment of airports, railroads, interstate highways, bus networks and the rivers. Airports with commercial service in the region include Central Illinois Regional Airport (serving Bloomington-Normal), General Wayne Downing Peoria International Airport (serving the Peoria area), Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield, University of Illinois Willard Airport south of Savoy, Decatur Airport, and Baldwin Field in Quincy. Multiple Amtrak lines run through the region with stops in major regional cities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tickets.amtrak.com/secure/content/atlas/index.html|title=Amtrak Train Service|publisher=Amtrak |access-date=2008-11-11}}</ref> There are nine interstate highways located in central Illinois, six of which are primary.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://maps.google.com/|title=Map of Interstates in Central Illinois|publisher=Google Maps|access-date=2008-11-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://illinoisgis.ito.state.il.us/routemap/Map.asp?ServerURL=http%3A%2F%2Fillinoisgis.ito.state.il.us%2Fscripts%2Fwebgate.dll&GroupID=ROUTEMAP&UserID=rmIMSuser&MapID=InsideIllinois&T=359.3094888136&L=38.896289407&B=-1.1224633728&R=640.4198484071&X=500&Y=300&SetZoom=0&userType=undefined&Mode=ZoomIn&Zoom=0&map.x=267&map.y=146|title=Illinois Road Map|publisher=Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT)|access-date=2008-11-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110527030815/http://illinoisgis.ito.state.il.us/routemap/Map.asp?ServerURL=http:%2F%2Fillinoisgis.ito.state.il.us%2Fscripts%2Fwebgate.dll&GroupID=ROUTEMAP&UserID=rmIMSuser&MapID=InsideIllinois&T=359.3094888136&L=38.896289407&B=-1.1224633728&R=640.4198484071&X=500&Y=300&SetZoom=0&userType=undefined&Mode=ZoomIn&Zoom=0&map.x=267&map.y=146|archive-date=2011-05-27|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dot.state.il.us/il50/il_interstates.html |title=Interstates located in Illinois |publisher=Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) |access-date=2008-11-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131027030026/http://www.dot.state.il.us/il50/il_interstates.html |archive-date=2013-10-27 }}</ref>

=== Interstates === {{columns-list|colwidth=22em|* 20px Interstate 39 * 20px Interstate 55 * 20px Interstate 57 * 20px Interstate 70 * 20px Interstate 72 * 20px Interstate 74 * 23px Interstate 155 * 23px Interstate 172 * 23px Interstate 474 }}

=== Transit === {{columns-list|colwidth=22em|* Central Illinois Public Transportation * Champaign County Area Rural Transit System * Champaign–Urbana Mass Transit District * Coles County Zipline * Connect Transit * CRIS Rural Mass Transit District * Danville Mass Transit * Decatur Public Transit System * Dial-A-Ride Public Transportation * Fulton County Rural Transit * Galesburg Transit * Go West Transit * CityLink (Greater Peoria Mass Transit District) * Hancock County Public Transportation * Macoupin County Public Transit * McDonough County Transit * Piatt County Public Transportation * Quincy Transit Lines * Sangamon Mass Transit District * Sangamon-Menard Area Rural Transit * SHOW Bus * Tri-County Rural Transit * West Central Mass Transit District }}

== Education ==

=== Universities === {{columns-list|colwidth=22em| * Bradley University * Eastern Illinois University * Illinois State University * Illinois Wesleyan University * Lincoln Christian University * Millikin University * Quincy University * Southern Illinois University School of Medicine * University of Illinois Springfield * University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign * University of Illinois College of Medicine * Western Illinois University }}

=== Colleges === {{columns-list|colwidth=22em| * Blackburn College * Danville Area Community College * Eureka College * Heartland Community College * Illinois Central College * Illinois College * John Wood Community College * Knox College * Lake Land College * Lincoln College * Lincoln Land Community College * Methodist College * Monmouth College * Parkland College * Principia College * Richland Community College * Spoon River College }}

=== Trade and specialty schools === {{columns-list|colwidth=22em| * Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing and Health Sciences * Lakeview College of Nursing * Midwest Technical Institute (East Peoria) * Midwest Technical Institute (Springfield) * Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing * Saint John’s College * Urbana Theological Seminary * Walther Theological Seminary }}

== See also == {{Portal|Illinois}} * Northern Illinois * Southern Illinois * National Weather Service Lincoln, Illinois

== References == {{Reflist|2}}

{{Central-Illinois}} {{Illinois}}

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Category:Regions of Illinois