Illinois 2019
According to Countryaah.com, the largest city in Illinois is Chicago, with a population of over 2.7 million people. It is the state capital and home to some of the world’s most iconic landmarks, such as the Willis Tower, Millennium Park, and Navy Pier. Located on Lake Michigan in the northeastern part of the state, Chicago offers a wide variety of cultural attractions, shopping opportunities, and entertainment venues for visitors to explore. The second largest city in Illinois is Aurora with a population of just over 200,000 people. It is located in the northeastern part of the state near Chicago and serves as an important economic center for the region. Aurora has a strong manufacturing industry and also offers plenty of cultural attractions such as theaters, museums, and art galleries.
Politics of Illinois in 2019
In 2019, Illinois politics were marked by numerous changes and developments. In January, J.B. Pritzker was sworn in as the 43rd Governor of Illinois and began his term with an ambitious agenda to tackle issues such as education and healthcare reform, criminal justice reform, and economic development. During his first legislative session in office, he signed into law bills that raised the minimum wage to $15/hour by 2025, legalized recreational cannabis use for adults over 21 years old, and enacted a progressive income tax.
In the spring of 2019, the state legislature passed a balanced budget for fiscal year 2020 that included increased funding for public education and infrastructure projects. Additionally, the state’s budget included new revenue sources such as a graduated income tax and increased taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products.
The fall of 2019 saw several high-profile elections taking place in Illinois including races for U.S Senate between incumbent Republican Mark Kirk and Democratic challenger Tammy Duckworth as well as several congressional races across the state’s districts. In November, Democrats won control of both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly with Democrats picking up five seats in the House of Representatives and two seats in the Senate giving them control over both chambers for the first time since 2003.
On a local level, several mayoral races took place across Chicago neighborhoods with Lori Lightfoot winning a historic election to become Chicago’s first African American woman mayor while also becoming its first openly gay mayor. Additionally, Chicago held elections for City Council members from each ward across the city resulting in an even more diverse council than before with more women representing their wards than ever before in city history.
Overall, 2019 was an eventful year for politics in Illinois with Governor Pritzker leading efforts to pass progressive policies while also introducing new revenue sources into the state budget through increased taxes on tobacco products and other items as well as passing a graduated income tax which had been debated by legislators for years prior but had never come to fruition until now. Meanwhile local elections provided new leadership at both municipal levels resulting in greater diversity among elected officials throughout Illinois paving way for even more changes going forward into 2020.
Population of Illinois in 2019
According to allunitconverters, as of 2019, the population of Illinois was estimated to be 12,671,821. This ranks it as the sixth most populous state in the United States. The population of Illinois is very diverse and is made up of many different ethnicities. The largest ethnic group in the state is non-Hispanic White Americans at 57.9%. Following closely behind are African Americans at 14.6%, Hispanic and Latino Americans at 16.2%, Asian Americans at 5.4%, Native American and Alaskan Natives at 0.3%, Pacific Islanders at 0.1%, and Finally, those who identify as two or more races making up 5.5%.
The largest cities in Illinois are Chicago with a population of 2,693,976 people (21% of the total population), Aurora with 199,963 people (1.6%), Rockford with 149,123 people (1.2%), Joliet with 147,806 people (1%), Naperville with 144,864 people (1%), and Springfield with 116,250 people (0.9%). Chicago is also home to a large number of immigrants from all over the world which contributes to its vibrant cultural atmosphere and diversity that can be seen throughout the city’s neighborhoods and festivals throughout the year. See liuxers for school codes in Illinois.
Economy of Illinois in 2019
The economy of Illinois in 2019 was largely driven by its diverse industries and services. The state’s GDP was estimated to be $1 trillion, ranking it as the fifth largest economy in the United States. The major industries in Illinois include manufacturing, finance and insurance, real estate and rental leasing, healthcare and social assistance, retail trade, professional and technical services, transportation and warehousing, information technology, construction, agriculture and mining.
Illinois has a strong manufacturing industry which includes automotive production, food processing plants, steel mills and machinery factories. The state is also home to several large companies such as Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM), Boeing Co., Caterpillar Inc., Motorola Solutions Inc., John Deere Co., Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc., AbbVie Inc., Allstate Insurance Co., State Farm Insurance Co., Exelon Corporation etc.
Finance and insurance are also important sectors in the Illinois economy. This sector includes banking operations as well as investments by individuals or corporations into stocks or bonds. Healthcare is another important part of the state’s economic activity with a total of more than 600 hospitals across the state providing medical care for millions of people each year.
In addition to these industries, there are also many small businesses that contribute significantly to Illinois’ economy such as restaurants, retail stores, hotels and other service providers that cater to tourists visiting the state from all over the world. Tourism is an important part of the state’s economy with more than 100 million visitors each year spending billions of dollars on activities such as shopping at local boutiques or enjoying attractions like Navy Pier or Millennium Park in Chicago.
Events Held in Illinois in 2019
Throughout 2019, Illinois hosted a variety of events and festivals that showcased the state’s vibrant culture and attractions. In April, Chicago hosted the annual Chicago Marathon with more than 45,000 runners taking part. The event is one of the world’s most popular marathons and attracts people from all over the world.
In May, the Taste of Chicago was held in Grant Park featuring over 200 restaurants offering samples of their signature dishes to attendees. This popular event draws more than 1 million people each year who come to sample delicious food from around the world.
During summer, Illinois hosted several music festivals including Lollapalooza in August which featured some of the biggest names in music such as Ariana Grande, Childish Gambino and The Chainsmokers. This four-day festival is held annually at Grant Park and attracts more than 100,000 people each year.
In September, Chicago celebrated its annual Air & Water Show with thrilling aerobatics displays by military aircraft and performances by various stunt pilots and parachutists. The show is one of the largest free air shows in North America and draws millions of spectators to Lake Michigan’s shoreline every year.
October brought with it Oktoberfest celebrations throughout the state with German-style music, food and beer available at numerous locations including Lincoln Square in Chicago where thousands gathered for a lively celebration filled with traditional German entertainment.
Finally, in December, Illinois celebrated its annual Christmas Festival which included a tree lighting ceremony at Daley Plaza along with several holiday markets selling unique gifts from local vendors. There were also festive light shows throughout downtown Chicago as well as ice skating rinks set up for locals to enjoy during this special time of year.
