{{short description|Region of Illinois south of the Chicago area}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2020}} thumb|{{legend|red|Cook County}}{{legend|orange|Rest of Chicago metropolitan area in 1950}}{{legend|yellow|Parts added to Chicago metropolitan area by 2010}} (NOTE: This is only for the Illinois part of the metropolitan area.) '''Downstate Illinois''' refers to the part of the U.S. state of Illinois south or outside of the Chicago metropolitan area, which is in the northeast corner of the state and has been dominant in state history, politics, and culture.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1987/12/05/building-permits-rise-11/ | work=Chicago Tribune | title=Building Permits Rise 11% | date=1987-12-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.chicagoreader.com/chicago/chicago-code-fox-jennifer-beals-cops-corruption-delroy-lindo/Content?oid=3210520|title=They Got Us Wrong|website=Chicago Reader|date=February 3, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bradley.edu/fcba/community/cber/PeoriaMSAPopulationChanges.htm |title=Bradley University: Foster College of Business Administration |publisher=Bradley.edu |accessdate=2011-07-11 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528044650/http://www.bradley.edu/fcba/community/cber/PeoriaMSAPopulationChanges.htm |archivedate=2010-05-28 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |agency=Associated Press |url=http://www.rrstar.com/news/x702320566/Illinois-lifts-cap-on-charter-schools |title=Illinois raises cap on charter schools - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star |publisher=Rrstar.com |accessdate=2011-07-11 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120915081249/http://www.rrstar.com/news/x702320566/Illinois-lifts-cap-on-charter-schools |archivedate=2012-09-15 }}</ref>
Downstate Illinois lacks a precise definition. Various boundaries that have been used are the Chicago city limits, the boundaries of Cook County, the collar counties, all of Illinois not contained in the Chicago media market, Interstate 80, and Bloomington.<ref name="Encyclopedia">{{cite encyclopedia |title='Downstate' |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Chicago |publisher=Chicago Historical Society |url=http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/4.html |access-date=February 13, 2020 |last=Thompson |first=James R.}}</ref> Prior to the 2000 United States census, when it became part of the Chicago metropolitan area, even DeKalb (located 65 miles west of Chicago) was often considered to be "downstate".<ref>{{cite journal |date=18 October 2000 |title=MTV's Campus Invasion Tour |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4570258.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611111135/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4570258.html |archive-date=11 June 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |date=21 June 1988 |title=DeKalb Corp. announces capitalization of three new companies, spinoff |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3891161.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611111141/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3891161.html |archive-date=11 June 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Names |url=http://www.lib.niu.edu/1991/ii910733.html |website=www.lib.niu.edu}}</ref>
With regard to geographic placenames, the terms "up" and "down" generally refer to upstream and downstream with respect to a river basin, in this case that of the Mississippi River, which flows from north to south along the western edge of the state. Thus, the term "Downstate Illinois" may be understood to refer to the part of the state which lies downstream with respect to the Mississippi River and its tributaries in Illinois, such as the Illinois River.
Downstate Illinois is divided into three regions: Northern, Central, and Southern, which in turn are divided into more regions. The term has been used by Northern Illinois residents for decades and is commonly used by the media.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2199&dat=19760315&id=sP0xAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YuUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4827,2130941|title=Lawrence Journal-World - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2010/08/23/chicago-kc-corridor-ready-to-roll/ |title=Chicago-K.C. corridor ready to roll - Chicago Tribune |publisher=Articles.chicagotribune.com |date=2010-08-23 |access-date=2011-07-11 |first=Getting |last=Around}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1998/11/06/missionary-educator-from-downstate-illinois-is-remembered-in-china/ |title=Missionary Educator From Downstate Illinois Is Remembered In China - Chicago Tribune |publisher=Articles.chicagotribune.com |date=1998-11-06 |access-date=2011-07-11 |first=Mike |last=Ramsey}}</ref><ref>[http://www.wttw.com/chicagotonightblog/2009_05_01_archive.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100308064527/http://www.wttw.com/chicagotonightblog/2009_05_01_archive.html|date=March 8, 2010}}</ref> The Illinois General Assembly regularly uses the term in the titles of bills it passes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ilga.gov/search/LISGSApage.asp?q=Downstate&submit1=Go&site=leg97|title=Illinois General Assembly - list of bills with "Downstate" in the text|accessdate=2011-07-11|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721043145/http://www.ilga.gov/search/LISGSApage.asp?q=Downstate&submit1=Go&site=leg97|archivedate=2011-07-21}}</ref>
Although most of the state's population is concentrated in and around Chicago, several midsized cities such as Springfield, the state capital, are located "downstate". {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |+ Ten Largest Cities in Downstate Illinois<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: United States |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045222 |access-date=2023-05-17 |website=www.census.gov |language=en}}</ref> |- ! Rank ! City ! Population ! County |- | style="text-align: center;" | 1 || style="text-align: left;" | Rockford || 148,655 || Winnebago |- | style="text-align: center;" | 2 || style="text-align: left;" | Springfield || 114,394 || Sangamon |- | style="text-align: center;" | 3 || style="text-align: left;" | Peoria || 113,150 || Peoria |- | style="text-align: center;" | 4 || style="text-align: left;" | Champaign || 88,302 || Champaign |- | style="text-align: center;" | 5 || style="text-align: left;" | Bloomington || 78,680 || McLean |- | style="text-align: center;" | 6 || style="text-align: left;" | Decatur || 70,522 || Macon |- | style="text-align: center;" | 7 || style="text-align: left;" | Normal || 52,736 || McLean |- | style="text-align: center;" | 8 || style="text-align: left;" | Moline || 42,985 || Rock Island |- | style="text-align: center;" | 9 || style="text-align: left;" | Belleville || 42,404 || St. Clair |- | style="text-align: center;" | 10 || style="text-align: left;" | Quincy|| 39,463 || Adams |}
==See also== *Forgottonia
==References== {{reflist}}
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Category:Regions of Illinois