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{{Infobox City |official_name = Chicago
|nickname = "[[List of nicknames for Chicago|The Windy City]]", "[[List of nicknames for Chicago|The Second City]]", "[[List of nicknames for Chicago|Chi-Town]]", "[[Chicago (poem)|Hog Butcher for the World]]", "[[Chicago (poem)|City of the Big Shoulders]]", "The City That Works"
|motto = "''Urbs in Horto''" ([[Latin]]: "City in a Garden"), "I Will"
|website = [http://egov.cityofchicago.org/ egov.cityofchicago.org]
|image_skyline = 2004-07-14 2600x1500 chicago lake skyline.jpg
|image_flag = Municipal Flag of Chicago.svg
|image_seal = ChicagoSeal2.png
|image_map = US-IL-Chicago.png
|map_caption = Location in the [[Chicago metro area]] and Illinois
|subdivision_type = [[Countries of the world|Country]]
|subdivision_type1 = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_type2 = [[List of counties in Illinois|Counties]]
|subdivision_name = [[United States]]
|subdivision_name1 = [[Illinois]]
|subdivision_name2 = [[Cook County, Illinois|Cook]], [[DuPage County, Illinois|DuPage]]
|leader_title = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name = Richard M. Daley
|leader_party = D
|area_magnitude = 1 E8
|area_total_sq_mi = 234.0
|area_total_km2 = 606.2
|area_land_sq_mi = 227.2
|area_land_km2 = 588.3
|area_water_sq_mi = 6.9
|area_water_km2 = 17.9
|area_water_percent=3.0
|area_urban_km2 = 5498.1
|area_urban_sq_mi = 2122.8
|area_metro_km2 = 28163
|area_metro_sq_mi = 10874
|population_as_of = 2006
|population_total = 2,833,321
|population_urban = 8,711,000
|population_metro = 9,505,748
|population_density_sq_mi = 12470
|population_density_km2 = 4816
|timezone = [[North American Central Time Zone|CST]]
|utc_offset = -6
|timezone_DST = [[North American Central Time Zone|CDT]]
|utc_offset_DST = -5
|elevation_m = 183
|elevation_ft = 600
|latd = 41
|latm = 54
|lats =
|latNS = N
|longd = 87
|longm = 39
|longs =
|longEW = W
|established_title = Settled
|established_date = 1770s
|established_title2 = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date2 = [[March 4]] [[1837]]
|footnotes =
}}
:''This article is about the [[United States|U.S.]] city in the state of [[Illinois]]. For other uses, see [[Chicago (disambiguation)]].''

'''Chicago''' ([[IPA chart for English|pronounced]] {{IPA|/ʃɪˈkɑˌgoʊ/}} or {{IPA|/ʃiˈkɔˌgoʊ/}}; shi-'''cah'''-go, or shi-'''caw'''-go) is the largest city in the state of [[Illinois]], the largest in the [[Midwestern United States|Midwest]] and, with a population of nearly 2.9 million people, is the [[List of United States cities by population|third largest]] in the [[United States]]. Rich in history and renowned for its architecture, Chicago is classified as an [[Global city|alpha world city]]. It is the anchor of the [[Chicago metropolitan area]], commonly called [[Chicago metropolitan area#Chicagoland|Chicagoland]], which has a population of over 9.5 million people in Illinois, [[Wisconsin]] and [[Indiana]], making it the [[List of United States metropolitan areas|third largest metropolitan area]] in the U.S.<ref name="MSARanks">{{cite web
|title=Population in Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas Ranked by 2000 Population for the United States and Puerto Rico
|date=[[December 30]] [[2003]]
|url= http://www.census.gov/population/cen2000/phc-t29/tab03a.csv
|format=CSV
|accessmonthday=September 14
|accessyear=2006
|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau
}}</ref> The City of Chicago is almost entirely located in [[Cook County, Illinois]], with a small portion in [[DuPage County, Illinois|DuPage County]], while the metropolitan area extends over several counties.

Founded in 1833 at the [[Chicago Portage|site of a portage]] between the [[Great Lakes]] and the [[Mississippi River#Watershed|Mississippi River watershed]], it soon became a transportation hub and the business, financial, and cultural capital of the [[Midwestern United States|Midwest]]. Since the [[World's Columbian Exposition|Chicago World's Fair of 1893]], it has been regarded as one of the ten most influential [[Global city|cities]] in the world.<ref>[http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/citymap.html The World According to GaWC (2006)]. ''Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network''.</ref>

==History==
[[Image:Chicago City Hall.jpg|thumb|right|[[Chicago City Hall]] just before completion in 1911]]
{{main|History of Chicago|Political history of Chicago|Windy City, Origin of Name (Chicago)|List of nicknames for Chicago|List of mayors of Chicago}}
The name ''Chicago'' is the [[French language|French]] rendering of the [[Miami language|Miami-Illinois]] name ''shikaakwa'', meaning “[[wild leek]]”.<ref>Swenson, John F. “Chicagoua/Chicago: The Origin, Meaning, and Etymology of a Place Name.” ''Illinois Historical Journal'' 84.4 (Winter 1991): 235–248</ref><ref>McCafferty, Michael. ''[http://linguistlist.org/issues/12/12-3157.html Disc: "Chicago" Etymology]''. [http://linguistlist.org/ LINGUIST list] posting, Dec. 21, 2001</ref><ref>McCafferty, Michael. ''[http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3945/is_200307/ai_n9266765 A Fresh Look at the Place Name Chicago]''. Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society 95.2 (Summer 2003)</ref>

<!--May split paragraph to incorporate into later text-->
Chicago in its first century was one of the fastest growing [[World largest cities|cities in the world]]. Within the span of forty years, its population grew from slightly under 30,000 to over 1 million by 1890. In the next forty years the population tripled to over 3 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tigger.uic.edu/depts/ahaa/imagebase/chimaps/mcclendon.html|title=http://tigger.uic.edu/depts/ahaa/imagebase/chimaps/mcclendon.html|accessdate=2007-08-19|work=University Illinois Chicago}}</ref> By the close of the 19th century, Chicago was the fifth largest city in the world <ref>http://geography.about.com/library/weekly/aa011201f.htm</ref>-- and the largest of the cities that didn't exist at the dawn of the century.

During the mid-18th century the Chicago area was inhabited primarily by [[Potawatomi]]s, who took the place of the [[Miami tribe|Miami]] and [[Sac and Fox Nation|Sauk and Fox]] people. The first settler in Chicago, [[Haiti]]an [[Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable]], arrived in the 1770s, married a Potawatomi woman, and founded the area’s first [[trading post]]. In 1803 the United States Army built [[Fort Dearborn]], which was destroyed in 1812 in the [[Fort Dearborn Massacre]]. The [[Ottawa (tribe)|Ottawa]], [[Ojibwa]], and Potawatomi later ceded the land to the United States in the [[Treaty of St. Louis]] of 1816. On [[August 12]] [[1833]], the Town of Chicago was organized with a population of 350, and within seven years it grew to a population of over 4,000. The City of Chicago was incorporated on [[March 4]] [[1837]].

Starting in 1848, the city became an important transportation center between the eastern and western United States. Chicago’s first railway, [[Galena & Chicago Union Railroad]], opened. The [[Illinois and Michigan Canal]] allowed steamboats and sailing ships on the Great Lakes to connect through Chicago to the [[Mississippi River]]. A flourishing economy brought many new residents from rural communities and [[Irish American]], [[Polish American]], [[Swedish American]], [[German American]] and numerous other [[Immigration to the United States|immigrants]]. The city’s manufacturing and retail sectors dominated the Midwest and greatly influenced the American economy, with the [[Union Stock Yards]] dominating the meat packing trade.

[[Image:chicago river1.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Chicago River]] at night]]
Beginning in 1855, Chicago constructed the first comprehensive [[sewer]] system in the U.S., requiring the level of downtown streets to be raised as much as 10 feet (3&nbsp;meters). However, the untreated sewage and industrial waste flowed from the [[Chicago River]] into [[Lake Michigan]], [[pollution|polluting]] the primary source of fresh water for the city. The city responded by tunneling two miles (3&nbsp;km) out into Lake Michigan to newly built [[water crib]]s. Nonetheless, spring rains continued to carry polluted water as far out as the water intakes. In 1900, the problem of sewage was largely resolved when Chicago undertook an innovative engineering feat. The city actually reversed the river's flow with the construction of the [[Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal]] leading to the [[Illinois River]] which joins the [[Mississippi River]].

[[Image:StateStreetc1907.jpg|thumb|right|[[State Street (Chicago)|State Street]] in 1907]]
After the [[Great Chicago Fire]] of 1871 destroyed a third of the city, including the entire [[central business district]], Chicago experienced rapid rebuilding and growth.<ref>Bruegmann, Robert (2004-2005). [http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/181.html Built Environment of the Chicago Region]. ''Encyclopedia of Chicago (online version)''.</ref> During Chicago's rebuilding period, the [[Home Insurance Building|first skyscraper]] was constructed in 1885 using [[steel frame|steel-skeleton]] construction. In 1893, Chicago hosted the [[World's Columbian Exposition]] on former marshland at the present location of [[Jackson Park (Chicago)|Jackson Park]]. The Exposition drew 27.5 million visitors, and is considered among the most influential world's fairs in history.<ref>[http://www.choosechicago.com/media/history.html Chicago History]. ''Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau''.</ref> The [[University of Chicago]] had been founded one year earlier in 1892 on the same location. The term "midway" for a fair or carnival referred originally to the [[Midway Plaisance]], a strip of park land that still runs through the University of Chicago campus and connects [[Washington Park (Chicago park)|Washington]] and Jackson Parks.

The city was the site of [[Labor history of the United States|labor conflicts]] and unrest during this period, which included the [[Haymarket Riot]] on [[May 4]] [[1886]]. Concern for social problems among Chicago’s lower classes led to the founding of [[Hull House]] in 1889, of which [[Jane Addams]] was a co-founder. The city also invested in many large, well-landscaped [[Chicago Park District|municipal parks]], which also included public sanitation facilities.

The 1920s brought notoriety to Chicago as [[gangsters]] (including the notorious [[Al Capone]]) battled each other and law enforcement on the city streets during the [[Prohibition in the United States|Prohibition]] era. The 1920s also saw a large increase in industry with arrivals of the [[Great Migration (African American)|Great Migration]] which led thousands of [[Southern United States|Southern]] blacks to Chicago.

In 1933, Mayor [[Anton Cermak]] was [[assassinated]] while in the presence of President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]].

On [[December 2]] [[1942]], physicist [[Enrico Fermi]] conducted the world’s first controlled [[nuclear reaction]] at the [[University of Chicago]] as part of the top-secret [[Manhattan Project]].

Mayor [[Richard J. Daley]] was elected in 1955, in the era of so-called [[political machine|machine politics]]. Starting in the 1960s, many upper- and middle-class citizens started leaving the city for the [[suburb]]s, as was the case in many cities across the country, leaving impoverished neighborhoods in their wake. (Since the 1990s, the city has undergone a revitalization where some lower class neighborhoods were transformed into pricey neighborhoods.) The city hosted the tumultuous [[1968 Democratic National Convention]], which featured physical confrontations both inside and outside the convention hall, including full-scale [[police riot]]s in city streets. Major construction projects, including the [[Sears Tower]] (which in 1974 became the [[World's tallest structures|world’s tallest building]]), [[McCormick Place]], and [[O'Hare International Airport|O'Hare Airport]], were undertaken during Richard J. Daley's tenure. When he died, [[Michael Bilandic]] was mayor for three years. His loss in a primary election has been attributed to the city’s inability to properly plow city streets during a heavy snowstorm. In 1979, [[Jane Byrne]], the city’s first female mayor, was elected. She popularized the city as a [[filming location|movie location]] and [[Tourism in the United States|tourist]] destination.

In 1983 [[Harold Washington]] became the first [[African American]] to be elected to the office of mayor in one of the closest mayoral elections in Chicago. After Washington won the Democratic primary, racial motivations caused Democratic alderman and ward committeemen to back the Republican candidate [[Bernard Epton]], who ran on the slogan ''Before it’s too late'', a thinly-veiled [[appeal to fear]].<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,923453,00.html
|title=Constancy***
|publisher=Time & CNN
|date=[[April 4]], [[1983]]
|accessdate=2007-08-11}}</ref>
Washington’s term in office saw new attention given to poor and minority neighborhoods, and reduced the longtime dominance of city contracts and employment by ethnic whites. Current mayor [[Richard M. Daley]], son of the late Richard J. Daley, was first elected in 1989. New projects during the younger Daley’s administration have made Chicago larger, more environmentally friendly, and more accessible.<ref>[http://www.sustainlane.com/us-city-rankings/chicago.jsp Chicago: The Wind at Its Back (2005)]. ''[http://www.sustainlane.com SustainLane]''.</ref>

Since the early 1990s, some of Chicago’s formerly abandoned neighborhoods are now highly sought after neighborhoods. Areas such as the [[Loop, Chicago|South Loop]], [[Near West Side, Chicago|West Loop]], [[West Town, Chicago|Wicker Park]]/[[Logan Square, Chicago|Bucktown]], [[Uptown, Chicago|Uptown]] and others have attracted young, middle and upper-class residents. The city has made considerable investment in infrastructure, has also revitalized downtown theaters and retail districts, and improving lakefront and riverfront cityscapes.

==Geography==
{{main|Geography of Chicago}}
===Topography===
[[Image:Chicago.landsat.750pix.jpg|thumb|right|[[Landsat program|Landsat]] image of the Chicago area]]
Located in northeastern Illinois at the southwestern tip of [[Lake Michigan]], Chicago's official geographic coordinates are {{coor dms|41|53|0|N|87|39|0|W|}}. It sits on the [[continental divide]] at the site of the [[Chicago Portage]], connecting the [[Mississippi River]] and the [[Great Lakes]] [[drainage basin|watersheds]]. The city lies beside Lake Michigan, and two rivers&mdash;the [[Chicago River]] in downtown and the [[Calumet River]] in the industrial far South Side&mdash;flow entirely or partially through Chicago. The [[Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal]] connects the Chicago River with the [[Des Plaines River]], which runs to the west of the city.

When Chicago was founded in the 1830s, most of the early building began around the mouth of the Chicago River, as can be seen on a map of the city's original 58 blocks<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/11175.html
|title=Thompson's Plat of 1830
|publisher=Chicago Historical Society
|date=2004
}}</ref>. According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], Chicago has a total area of 234.0 [[square mile]]s (606.1&nbsp;[[square kilometre|km²]]), of which 227.1 square miles (588.3&nbsp;km²) is land and 6.9 square miles (17.8&nbsp;km²) is water. The total area is 2.94% water.

The city is built on quite flat land; the average land elevation land is 579 [[foot (unit of length)|feet]] (176&nbsp;m) above [[sea level]]. The lowest points are along the lake shore at 577 feet (176&nbsp;m), while the highest point at 735 feet (224&nbsp;m) is a [[landfill]] located in the [[Hegewisch, Chicago|Hegewisch]] community area on the city's far south side ({{coor dms|41|39|18|N|87|34|44|W|}}).

===Lake Michigan===
The history of Chicago is closely tied to that of [[Lake Michigan]]. Since before Chicago was founded, ships were bringing people and supplies from all points on the compass. Lake Michigan is the third largest of the [[Great Lake]]s, with a maximum depth of 925 feet and a size slightly greater than the country of [[Croatia]]. The average depth off Chicago’s shore averages 15–35 feet. To reach greater depths, one must travel several miles out in the lake, or head north to [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin]]. The lake bottom off Chicago’s shore is littered with [[shipwreck]]s, ranging from [[schooner]]s and [[tugboat]]s to car ferries and even [[World War II]] airplanes. [[Scuba diving]] is a popular recreation for local residents, as are lakefront cruises. [[Zebra mussel]]s were discovered in [[Lake Saint Clair (North America)|Lake Saint Clair]] in 1988, and soon spread, impacting the ecosystem.

===Climate===
{{main|Climate of Chicago, Illinois}}
The city lies within the [[humid continental climate]] zone, and experiences four distinct [[season]]s. In July, the warmest month, high temperatures average 84.9&nbsp;°[[Fahrenheit|F]] (29.4&nbsp;°[[Celsius|C]]) and low temperatures 65.8&nbsp;°F (18.8&nbsp;°C). In January, the coldest month, high temperatures average 31.5&nbsp;°F (−0.3&nbsp;°C) with low temperatures averaging 17.1&nbsp;°F (−8.3&nbsp;°C). According to the [[National Weather Service]], Chicago’s highest official temperature reading of 105&nbsp;°F (41&nbsp;°C) was recorded on [[July 24]] [[1934]]. The lowest temperature of −27&nbsp;°F (−33&nbsp;°C) degrees was recorded on [[January 20]] [[1985]].

Chicago’s yearly [[precipitation (meteorology)|precipitation]] averages about 37 [[inch]]es (965&nbsp;[[millimetre|mm]]). Summer is the rainiest season, with short-lived rainfall and [[thunderstorm]]s more common than prolonged rainy periods.<ref>[http://www.crh.noaa.gov/lot/?n=CHI_summer_precip Chicago Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation Rankings (11/25/2005)]. ''National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office - Chicago, IL.</ref> Winter is the driest season, with most of the precipitation falling as [[snow]]. The snowiest winter ever recorded in Chicago was 1929–30, with 114.2 inches of snow in total. Chicago’s highest one-day rain total was 6.49 inches (164 mm), on [[August 14]] [[1987]].

<!--Infobox begins-->{{Infobox Weather
|single_line=Yes
|location = Chicago, IL
|Jan_Hi_°F = 32 |Jan_Hi_°C =0
|Feb_Hi_°F = 35 |Feb_Hi_°C =2
|Mar_Hi_°F = 46 |Mar_Hi_°C =8
|Apr_Hi_°F = 59 |Apr_Hi_°C =15
|May_Hi_°F = 70 |May_Hi_°C =21
|Jun_Hi_°F = 81 |Jun_Hi_°C =27
|Jul_Hi_°F = 85 |Jul_Hi_°C =29
|Aug_Hi_°F = 83 |Aug_Hi_°C =28
|Sep_Hi_°F = 76 |Sep_Hi_°C =24
|Oct_Hi_°F = 64 |Oct_Hi_°C =18
|Nov_Hi_°F = 48 |Nov_Hi_°C =9
|Dec_Hi_°F = 36 |Dec_Hi_°C =2
|Year_Hi_°F = 60 |Year_Hi_°C =15
|Jan_Lo_°C = -8
|Feb_Lo_°C = -6
|Mar_Lo_°C = -1
|Apr_Lo_°C = 5
|May_Lo_°C = 10
|Jun_Lo_°C =16
|Jul_Lo_°C =19
|Aug_Lo_°C =18
|Sep_Lo_°C =14
|Oct_Lo_°C =7
|Nov_Lo_°C =1
|Dec_Lo_°C =-5
|Year_Lo_°C =6
|Jan_Lo_°F = 17
|Feb_Lo_°F = 21
|Mar_Lo_°F = 29
|Apr_Lo_°F = 40
|May_Lo_°F = 50
|Jun_Lo_°F = 60
|Jul_Lo_°F = 66
|Aug_Lo_°F = 65
|Sep_Lo_°F = 56
|Oct_Lo_°F = 45
|Nov_Lo_°F = 33
|Dec_Lo_°F = 22
|Year_Lo_°F = 42
|Jan_Precip_inch = 1.9
|Feb_Precip_inch = 1.6
|Mar_Precip_inch = 2.7
|Apr_Precip_inch = 3.5
|May_Precip_inch = 3.6
|Jun_Precip_inch = 4.0
|Jul_Precip_inch = 3.7
|Aug_Precip_inch = 3.5
|Sep_Precip_inch = 3.2
|Oct_Precip_inch = 2.8
|Nov_Precip_inch = 2.7
|Dec_Precip_inch = 2.3
|Year_Precip_inch = 35.5
|Jan_Precip_cm = 4.9 |Jan_Precip_mm =
|Feb_Precip_cm = 4.0 |Feb_Precip_mm =
|Mar_Precip_cm = 7.0 |Mar_Precip_mm =
|Apr_Precip_cm = 8.9 |Apr_Precip_mm =
|May_Precip_cm = 9.2 |May_Precip_mm =
|Jun_Precip_cm = 10.2 |Jun_Precip_mm =
|Jul_Precip_cm = 9.5 |Jul_Precip_mm =
|Aug_Precip_cm = 8.8 |Aug_Precip_mm =
|Sep_Precip_cm = 8.0 |Sep_Precip_mm =
|Oct_Precip_cm = 7.0 |Oct_Precip_mm =
|Nov_Precip_cm = 6.9 |Nov_Precip_mm =
|Dec_Precip_cm = 5.7 |Dec_Precip_mm =
|Year_Precip_cm = 90.2 |Year_Precip_mm =
|source =Illinois State Climatologist Data<ref>{{cite web
| url =http://www.sws.uiuc.edu/data/climatedb/choose.asp?stn=111577 |title =Monthly Weather Averages for Chicago Midway Airport (1928-2006 Data) | accessmonthday = Jul 06 |accessyear =2007
| language = }}</ref>
|accessdate = Jul 2007
}}<!--Infobox ends-->

==Cityscape==
{{wide image|Chicago Skyline Hi-Res.jpg|1700px|Chicago Skyline stretching from [[Shedd Aquarium]] to [[Navy Pier]] taken from [[Adler Planetarium]].}}

===Architecture===
{{main|Chicago architecture|List of Chicago Landmarks}}
{{Seealso|List of tallest buildings in Chicago|Parks of Chicago|Chicago neighborhoods}}

[[Image:Carter-harrison-chicago-crib.jpg|thumb|right|Carter-Harrison Crib]]
[[Image:Chicago-lighthouse.jpg|thumb|right|[[Chicago Harbor Lighthouse]]]]
[[Image:DowntownChicagoILatNight.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Near North Side, Chicago|Near North Side]] and Chicago River at night]]

The outcome of the Great Chicago Fire led to the largest building boom in the history of the nation. Perhaps the most outstanding of these events was the relocation of many of the nation's most prominent architects to the city from [[New England]] for construction of the 1893 World Columbian Exposition. Many architects including Burnham, Root, Adler and Sullivan went on to design other well known Chicago landmarks because of the Exposition.

In 1885, the first steel-framed high-rise building rose in Chicago ushering in the [[skyscraper]] era.<ref>[http://www.chipublib.org/004chicago/timeline/skyscraper1.html Chicago (2004)]. ''Chicago Public Library''.</ref> Today, Chicago's skyline is among the world's tallest.<ref>[http://www.ultrapolisproject.com/ultrapolis_017.htm World's Tallest Cities]. ''UltrapolisProject.com''.</ref> Downtown's historic buildings include the [[Chicago Board of Trade Building]] in the [[Chicago Loop|Loop]], with others along the lakefront and the Chicago River. Once first on the [[list of largest buildings in the world]] and still listed sixth, the [[Merchandise Mart]] stands near the junction of the north and south river branches. The three tallest in the city are the [[Sears Tower]] (tallest in the U.S.), the [[Aon Center (Chicago)|Aon Center]], and the [[John Hancock Center]]. The city's architecture includes lakefront high-rise residential towers, low-rise structures, and single-family homes. [[industry|Industrialized]] areas such as the [[Indiana]] border, south of [[Chicago Midway International Airport|Midway Airport]], and the banks of the [[Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal]] are clustered.

Future skyline plans entail the [[supertall]] [[Waterview Tower]], [[Chicago Spire]], and [[Trump International Hotel and Tower (Chicago)|Trump International Hotel and Tower]]. The 60602 [[ZIP code|zip code]] was named by ''[[Forbes]]'' as the hottest zip code in the country with upscale buildings such as [[The Heritage at Millennium Park]] (130 N. Garland) leading the way for other buildings such at Waterview Tower, The Legacy and Momo. Other new skyscraper construction may be found directly south ([[Chicago Loop#South Loop|South Loop]]) and north ([[Near North Side, Chicago#River North|River North]]) of the Loop.

Every kind and scale of houses, townhouses, condominiums and apartment buildings can be found in Chicago. Large swaths of Chicago's residential areas away from the lake are characterized by [[bungalow]]s built either during the early 20th century or after World War II. Chicago was a center of the [[Polish Cathedral style]] of church architecture.

Parks line [[Lake Shore Drive]]; a few of the more notable include [[Grant Park (Chicago)|Grant Park]], [[Millennium Park]], and [[Lincoln Park (Chicago)|Lincoln Park]]. [[Burnham Park (Chicago)|Burnham Park]] and [[Jackson Park (Chicago)|Jackson Park]] in [[Hyde Park, Chicago|Hyde Park]] are to the south. Interspersed are 31 [[beaches in Chicago]], the [[Lincoln Park Zoo]], several bird sanctuaries, [[McCormick Place]] Convention Center, [[Navy Pier]], [[Soldier Field]], the [[Museum Campus Chicago|Museum Campus]], and the [[Jardine Water Purification Plant]].

===Neighborhoods===
{{Main|Community areas of Chicago}}
The city of Chicago is subdivided into 77 community areas. Regionally, Chicago can be divided into three main sections: the North Side, the [[South side (Chicago)|South Side]], and the West Side.

====The Loop====
{{Main|Chicago Loop}}
[[Image:Chicago Downtown Aerial View.jpg|thumb|right|Aerial view of Chicago looking north during winter]]
The Loop, named for a circuit of cable cars and later for the [[The Loop (rapid transit)|elevated train Loop]] where practically all branches of the [[Chicago Transit Authority|CTA]] train system lead, is the main commercial and cultural center, and includes the city's tallest buildings. It is generally not considered to be part of any of the "sides" of the city.

====North Side====
The city's North Side is densely populated, and is the more commercially active section of the city, with [[Lincoln Park, Chicago|Lincoln Park]], [[Lakeview, Chicago|Lakeview]], [[Lincoln Square, Chicago|Lincoln Square]], [[Rogers Park, Chicago|Rogers Park]] and [[Uptown, Chicago|Uptown]] being prime examples of multi-zoned neighborhoods.

Immigrants from [[Poland]] settled along Milwaukee Avenue, the [[Swedish people|Swedish]] established a community in neighborhoods such as [[Andersonville, Chicago|Andersonville]], and [[Germans]] settled along Lincoln Avenue; today, there are immigrant populations from all parts of the world. People of [[Middle Eastern]], [[Asian people|Asian]], [[Caribbean]], or [[African]] origin may all live within the space of a few city blocks. The heart of the city's [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox Jewish]] community is [[West Ridge, Chicago|West Rogers Park]], while the American Indian Center of Chicago has been in [[Uptown, Chicago|Uptown]] since 1966.

Much of the North Side reaped the benefits of an economic boom which began in the 1990s. For example, the River North area, just north of the Chicago River and the Loop, has undergone a transition from an abandoned warehouse district to an active commercial, residential, and entertainment hub, featuring the city's largest concentration of contemporary art galleries. Just west of River North's galleries and bistros, demolition of the [[Chicago Housing Authority|CHA]]'s [[Cabrini-Green]] housing project began in 2003<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/12/11/60II/main532704.shtml
|title=Tearing Down Cabrini-Green
|publisher=[[CBS News]]
|date=[[July 23]] [[2003]]
}}</ref>. High-priced townhouses contrast with the gray, low-income highrises along Halsted near [[Division Street (Chicago)|Division Street]].

====South Side====
{{main|South Side of Chicago}}
The South Side is by far the largest section of the city in terms of geography, comprising roughly 60% of the city's total land area. It has a higher ratio of single-family homes and large sections zoned for industry. Although it has a reputation of high crime, the reality is much more varied as the South Side is so large in area. It encompasses the affluent, the middle-class, and the poor. South Side neighborhoods such as [[Armour Square, Chicago|Armour Square]], [[New City, Chicago|Back of the Yards]], [[Bridgeport, Chicago|Bridgeport]], [[Englewood, Chicago|Englewood]], [[South Lawndale, Chicago|Little Village]] and [[Pullman, Chicago|Pullman]] tend to be lower to middle-class and blue collar, while [[Hyde Park, Chicago|Hyde Park]], Kenwood, [[Avalon Park, Chicago|Avalon Park]], [[Mount Greenwood, Chicago|Mount Greenwood]], and [[Beverly, Chicago|Beverly]] tend to have upper-middle class, and affluent homes and incomes.

====West Side====
The West Side is made up of neighborhoods such as [[Austin, Chicago|Austin]], [[North Lawndale, Chicago|Lawndale]], [[East Garfield Park, Chicago|Garfield Park]], [[West Town, Chicago|West Town]], and [[Humboldt Park, Chicago|Humboldt Park]]. Some neighborhoods, particularly Garfield Park and Lawndale, have prolonged socio-economic problems ranging from [[urban decay]], overcrowding, and high crime. Attempts to remedy it have included razing of many CHA public housing units in favor of a more mixed income community.

Other West Side neighborhoods closer to the Loop, such as [[West Town, Chicago|Wicker Park]] and the [[Ukrainian Village, Chicago|Ukrainian Village]], have, since the mid-1990s, seen extensive economic and residential developments to the point of gentrification. Humboldt Park, once home to a large German-American population, is now the apex of Chicago's Puerto Rican community, although it too is slowly beginning to gentrify. The West Loop, [[Greektown, Chicago|Greektown]] and the other communities surrounding [[University of Illinois at Chicago]], such as Little Italy, Tri-Taylor and [[University Village Chicago|University Village]], neighborhoods experiencing new construction, renovation, and an influx of the middle to upper income residents.

The southernmost neighborhood of the [[Near West Side, Chicago|Near West Side]] is predominantly Mexican-American [[Lower West Side, Chicago|Pilsen]], a community known historically as an immigrant gateway. As a result of Pilsen's close proximity to the Loop and south [[University of Illinois at Chicago|University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC)]] campus, Pilsen has seen many immigrants begin to leave for more affordable neighborhoods. The creation of upscale [[University Village Chicago|University Village]], which borders Pilsen on the north, replaced the low income [[Maxwell Street]] neighborhood. The redevelopment of [[Maxwell Street]] and the rest of the [[Near West Side, Chicago|near West Side]] has been gaining momentum. East Pilsen, home to an established artist's colony, has already seen much new construction, and the rest of Pilsen is poised to begin its redevelopment.

The West Side has three of Chicago's largest parks: Douglas Park, Garfield Park, and Humboldt Park, all of which are attractively landscaped. [[Garfield Park Conservatory]] houses one of the largest collections of tropical plants of any major U.S. city. Other attractions on the West Side include the [[United Center]], Humboldt Park's [[Puerto Rican Day]] festival, and the [[Mexican Fine Arts Center]] in Pilsen.

The West Side is serviced by the [[Chicago Transit Authority|CTA]]'s [[Green Line (Chicago Transit Authority)|Green Line]], [[Blue Line (Chicago Transit Authority)|Blue Line]], and [[Pink Line (Chicago Transit Authority)|Pink Line]].

==Culture==
{{main|Culture of Chicago}}

The city's waterfront allure and nightlife has attracted residents and tourists alike. Over one-third of the city population is concentrated in the lakefront neighborhoods (from [[Rogers Park, Chicago|Rogers Park]] in the north to [[Hyde Park, Chicago|Hyde Park]] in the south). The city has many upscale dining establishments as well as many ethnic restaurant districts. These include "Greektown" on South Halsted, "Little Italy" on Taylor Street, just west of Halsted, "Chinatown" on the near South Side, and South Asian (Indian/Pakistani) on Devon Avenue.

===Entertainment and performing arts===
{{seealso|Chicago theatre|Category:Music venues in Chicago}}
[[Image:ChicagoJazzClubAndys.jpg|thumb|right|A Chicago jazz club]]

Chicago’s [[theater]] district spawned modern [[improvisational comedy]].<ref>{{cite book | title=Improvised Dialogue | author=Sawyer, R Keith | year=September 30, 2002 | publisher=Ablex/Greenwood | pages=14 | id=ISBN 1-56750-677-1}}</ref> Two renowned comedy troupes emerged&mdash;[[The Second City]] and [[I.O.]] (formerly known as ImprovOlympic). Renowned Chicago theater companies include the [[Steppenwolf Theatre Company]] (on the city's north side), the [[Goodman Theatre]], and the [[Victory Gardens Theater]]. Chicago offers Broadway-style entertainment at theatres such as [[Ford Center for the Performing Arts Oriental Theatre]], [[LaSalle Bank Theatre]], [[Cadillac Palace Theatre]], [[Auditorium Theatre]] of Roosevelt University, and [[Drury Lane Theatre (Illinois)|Drury Lane Theatre]] Water Tower Place.

Classical music offerings include the [[Chicago Symphony Orchestra]], recognized as one of the finest orchestras in the world, which performs at [[Symphony Center]]. In the summer, many outdoor concerts are given in [[Grant Park (Chicago)|Grant Park]] and [[Millennium Park]]. The [[Ravinia Festival]], located 25 miles north of Chicago, is also a favorite destination for many Chicagoans, with performances occasionally given in Chicago locations such as the [[Harris Theater]]. The [[Civic Opera House]] is home to the [[Lyric Opera of Chicago]].

The [[Joffrey Ballet]] performs in various venues, including the [[Harris Theater]]. Chicago is home to several other modern and jazz dance troupes, such as the [[Hubbard Street Dance Chicago]].

Various forms of music are distinct to Chicago. Among them are [[Chicago blues]], [[Chicago soul]], [[jazz]], and [[Gospel music|gospel]]. The city is the birthplace of the [[Chicago House|house]] style and is the site of an influential [[Hip-Hop scene in Chicago|hip-hop scene]]. In the 1980s, the city was a center for industrial, [[punk rock|punk]] and new wave. This influence continued into the [[alternative music]] of the 1990s. The city has been an epicenter for [[rave]] culture since the 1980s. A flourishing independent rock music culture brought forth Chicago [[indie (music)|indie]]. Annual festivals feature various acts such as [[Lollapalooza]], the [[Intonation Music Festival]] and [[Pitchfork Media#Pitchfork music festivals|Pitchfork Music Festival]].

===Tourism===
[[Image:Navy Pier.jpg|thumb|right|[[Navy Pier]]]]
Chicago attracted 44.17 million visitors in [[2006]] from around the world and nation.<ref>http://www.choosechicago.com/stats/default.html </ref> Upscale shopping along the [[Magnificent Mile]], thousands of restaurants, as well as Chicago's eminent architecture, continue to draw tourists. The city is the United States' third-largest convention destination.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2003_3rd/Sep03_ChicagoConventions.html
|title=Las Vegas and Orlando Bruising Chicago's Trade Show Business
|publisher=Hotel Online
|date=[[September 11]] [[2003]]
}}</ref> Most conventions are held at [[McCormick Place]], just south of [[Soldier Field]].

[[Navy Pier]], 3,000 [[foot (unit of length)|feet]] (900 m) long, houses retail, restaurants, museums, exhibition halls, and auditoriums. Its 150-foot-tall (45 m) [[Ferris wheel]] is north of [[Grant Park (Chicago)|Grant Park]] on the lakefront and is one of the most visited landmarks in the Midwest, attracting about 8 million people annually.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.navypier.com/about/ov_pier.html
|title=About Navy Pier - The Pier
|publisher=Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority
|date=2007
}}</ref>

[[Image:Framingtheface.JPG|left|thumb|caption|[[Crown Fountain]]]]

The historic [[Chicago Cultural Center]] (1897), originally serving as the Chicago Public Library, now houses the city's Visitor Information Center, galleries, and exhibit halls. The ceiling of Preston Bradley Hall includes a 38-foot (11 m) [[Louis Comfort Tiffany|Tiffany glass]] dome.

[[Millennium Park]] is a rebuilt section of a former railyard that was planned for unveiling at the turn of the 21st century, though it was delayed for several years. The park includes the ''[[Cloud Gate]]'' sculpture (known locally as "The Bean"). When facing ''Cloud Gate'' and Lake Michigan, a curved skyline image reflects. A Millennium Park restaurant outdoor transforms into an [[ice skating rink]] in the winter. Two tall glass sculptures make up the [[Crown Fountain]]. Architects Krueck & Sexton implemented this design concept of artist [[Jaume Plensa]]. The fountain's two towers display visual effects from LED images of Chicagoans' faces, with water spouting from their lips. [[Frank Gehry]]'s detailed stainless steel bandshell, Pritzker Pavilion, hosts the classical Grant Park Music Festival concert series. Behind the pavilion's stage is the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, an indoor venue for mid-sized performing arts companies, including Chicago Opera Theater and Music of the Baroque. Gehry's stainless steel BP Bridge connects Millennium Park with Daley Bicentennial Plaza.

In 1998, the city officially opened the [[Museum Campus Chicago|Museum Campus]], a 10-[[acre]] (4-[[hectare|ha]]) lakefront park surrounding three of the city's main museums: the [[Adler Planetarium]], the [[Field Museum of Natural History]], and the [[Shedd Aquarium]]. The Museum Campus joins the southern section of [[Grant Park (Chicago)|Grant Park]] which includes the renowned [[Art Institute of Chicago]]. [[Buckingham Fountain]] anchors the downtown park along the lakefront. During the summer of 2007, Grant Park hosts the public art exhibit, ''[[Cool Globes: Hot Ideas for a Cooler Planet]]''.

The [[Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago)|Museum of Science and Industry]], in [[Hyde Park, Chicago|Hyde Park]], is the only remaining building from the [[World's Columbian Exposition]] of 1893.

[[Image:Panorama field.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Field Museum]]]]
The [[Oriental Institute, Chicago|Oriental Institute]], part of the [[University of Chicago]], has an extensive collection of [[ancient Egypt]]ian and [[Near East]]ern archaeological artifacts, while the [[McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum|Freedom Museum]] is dedicated to exploring and explaining the [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution]]. Other museums and galleries in Chicago are the [[Chicago History Museum]], [[DuSable Museum|DuSable Museum of African-American History]], [[Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum]], the [[Polish Museum of America]], [[Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago|Museum of Contemporary Art]], the [[Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum]], the [[Hyde Park Art Center]] and [[The Renaissance Society]].

===Sports===
{{main|Sports in Chicago}}
[[Image:SoliderFieldAug2004.jpg|180px|right|thumb|Soldier Field]]
Chicago was named the best sports city in the United States by ''The Sporting News'' in 2006.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=113586
|title=Best Sports Cities 2006: Who, where and how
|publisher=Sporting News
|date=[[August 1]] [[2006]]
}}</ref> The city has 17 sports teams. Five of those teams play in the [[U.S. cities with teams from four major sports|four major North American professional sports leagues]].

The [[Chicago Bears]] of the [[National Football League]] play at [[Soldier Field]]. The Bears are one of two charter NFL teams still in existence, the other being the [[Arizona Cardinals]].

It is one of three U.S. cities with two [[Major League Baseball]] teams ([[New York City]] and [[Los Angeles]]). Unlike the other two, the two teams had remained with Chicago since the formation of the [[American League]] in 1900. The [[Chicago Cubs]] of the [[National League]] play at [[Wrigley Field]], which is the second-oldest [[MLB]] stadium and is located in the North Side neighborhood of [[Lakeview (Chicago)|Lakeview]], commonly referred to as "Wrigleyville." The [[Chicago White Sox]] of the [[American League]] play at [[U.S. Cellular Field]], built in the early 1990s and located in the South Side neighborhood of [[Bridgeport, Chicago|Bridgeport]].

The [[Chicago Bulls]] of the [[National Basketball Association]] play at the [[United Center]] on Chicago's Near West side. In 2006, the [[Chicago Sky]] joined the [[WNBA]]. The Sky play at the [[UIC Pavilion]].

The [[Chicago Blackhawks]], of the [[National Hockey League]], also play in the United Center. The Hawks are an [[Original Six]] franchise, founded in 1926.

The [[Chicago Wolves]] of the [[American Hockey League]] and [[Chicago Rush]] of the [[Arena Football League]] both play at the [[Allstate Arena]] in nearby [[Rosemont]].
The [[Chicago Fire (soccer)|Chicago Fire]], members of [[Major League Soccer]] moved from Soldier Field to the new [[Toyota Park (Bridgeview)|Toyota Park]] in Bridgeview at 71st and Harlem Avenue during the summer of 2006. Toyota Park is also home to the [[Chicago Machine]] of the [[Major League Lacrosse|MLL]].

The [[Chicago Marathon]] is held every October since [[1977]]. This event is one of five [[World Marathon Majors]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagomarathon.com/pdf/World%20Marathon%20Majors.pdf|accessdate=2007-07-25|title=World Marathon Majors|publisher=The LaSalle Bank Marathon}}</ref>

The city was selected on [[April 14]] [[2007]] to represent the United States internationally for the [[Chicago 2016 Olympic bid|bid]] for the [[2016 Summer Olympics]].<ref>Levine, Jay. "[http://cbs2chicago.com/local/local_story_207062131.html Chicago In The Running To Host 2016 Summer Games]." ''[[CBS]].'' [[July 26]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[December 1]] [[2006]].</ref><ref>"[http://www.chicago2016.org/ Official Chicago 2016 Website]." Retrieved on [[December 1]] [[2006]].</ref> Chicago also hosted the [[1959 Pan American Games]], and [[Gay Games VII]] in 2006. Chicago was selected to host the 1904 Olympics, but they were transferred to St. Louis to coincide with the World's Fair.<ref name="1904 Olypics">{{cite web
| title = 1904 Summer Olympics
| publisher = International Olympics Committee
| url = http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/past/index_uk.asp?OLGT=1&OLGY=1904
}}</REF>

===Media===
[[Image:Harpo-studio-sign-in-chicago-ill-usa.jpg|right|thumb|Harpo Studios, home of talk show host [[Oprah Winfrey]]]]
{{main|Media in Chicago}}
Chicago is the third-largest media market in [[North America]] (after [[Los Angeles]] and [[New York City]]).<ref>[http://www.nielsenmedia.com/DMAs.html Nielsen Media - DMA Listing (September 24, 2005)].</ref> Each of the big four [[List of United States over-the-air television networks|United States television networks]] directly owns and operates stations in Chicago. [[WGN-TV]], which is owned by the [[Tribune Company]], is carried (with some programming differences) as "[[Superstation]] WGN" on [[Cable television|cable]] nationwide. The city is also the home of ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]'' and [[Jerry Springer]], while [[Chicago Public Radio]] produces programs such as [[Public Radio International|PRI]]'s ''[[This American Life]]'' and [[National Public Radio|NPR]]'s ''[[Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!]]''.

There are two major daily [[newspapers]] published in Chicago: the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' and the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'', with the former having the larger circulation. There are also several regional and special-interest newspapers such as the ''[[Chicago Reader]]'', the ''[[Daily Southtown]]'', the ''[[Chicago Defender]]'', the ''[[Chicago Sports Weekly]]'', the ''[[Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, Illinois newspaper)|Daily Herald]]'', ''[[StreetWise]]'', and the ''[[Windy City Times]]''.

{{See also|Chicago Improv Festival|Chicago International Film Festival}}

===Food===
Chicago has some signature foods which reflect the city's ethnic and [[working-class]] roots. These include the [[Chicago-style pizza|deep-dish pizza]] and the [[Chicago-style hot dog|Chicago hot dog]], which is almost always made of [[Vienna Beef]] and loaded with an array of [[condiment]]s, such as pickle relish, sport peppers, a dill pickle spear, and more. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_8208,00.html|title=Classic Chicago Hot Dog|date=1999|accessdate=2007-09-03|work=Emril Lagasse}}</ref> However, putting ketchup on a Chicago hot dog is often taken as an insult. Chicago is also known for [[Italian Beef]] sandwiches and the [[Maxwell Street Polish]] (always served topped with grilled onions and mustard). The city has many upscale dining establishments as well as many ethnic restaurant districts. These include "Greektown" on South Halsted, "Little Italy" on Taylor Street, just west of Halsted, "Chinatown" on the near South Side, and South Asian on Devon Avenue. Grant Park celebrates the [[Taste of Chicago]] festival in late June and early July (basically the week of [[Independence Day (United States)|the Fourth of July]]). Every type of food in the city is represented, with free concerts and events daily.

In the June 2006 issue of ''[[GQ magazine]]'', Chicago was hailed as the best restaurant city in America.

{{See also|Chicago Farmers Markets|Chicago Dining|Food Manufacturers of Chicago}}

==Economy==
{{main|Economy of Chicago}}

[[Image:Cbot-close-night.gif|right|thumb|The [[Chicago Board of Trade Building]] at night]]
Chicago has the third largest [[gross metropolitan product]] in the nation&mdash;approximately [[United States dollar|$]]442 billion according to 2007 estimates.<ref>{{cite conference | coauthors = Global Insight | booktitle = The Role of Metro Areas in the U.S. Economy | title=The U.S. Conference of Mayors 74th Winter Meeting | pages = p. 15 | publisher = United States Conference of Mayors | date = January 13, 2006 | location = Washington, D.C. | url = http://www.usmayors.org/metroeconomies/0107/GMPreport_keyfindings.pdf | format = PDF | accessmonthday = September 15 | accessyear = 2006 }}</ref> The city has also been rated as having the most balanced economy in the United States, due to its high level of diversification.<ref>{{PDFlink|[http://www.worldbusinesschicago.com/about/upload/20ChicagoSunTimes6-23-03.pdf Moody's: Chicago's Economy Most Balanced in US (1/23/2003)]}}. Accessed from 'World Business Chicago'.</ref> Chicago was named the fourth most important business center in the world in the MasterCard Worldwide Centers of Commerce Index. <ref> "[http://edition.cnn.com/2007/BUSINESS/06/13/global.economy/ London named world's top business center by MasterCard]", [[CNN]], [[June 13]], [[2007]]. </ref> Additionally, the Chicago metropolitan area recorded the greatest number of new or expanded corporate facilities in the United States for five of the past six years.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.siteselection.com/issues/2007/mar/topMetros/
|title='Freaking Awesome' City Tops All U.S. Metro Areas
|author=Ron Starner
|publisher=siteselection.com
|accessdate=2007-08-11}}</ref> The [[Boeing]] Company relocated its corporate headquarters from [[Seattle]] to Chicago in 2001.

Chicago is a major financial center with the [[Chicago Loop|second largest central business district]] in the U.S. The city is the headquarters of the [[Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago]] (the Seventh District of the Federal Reserve). The city is also home to four major financial and futures exchanges, including the [[Chicago Stock Exchange]], the [[Chicago Board of Trade]] (CBOT), the [[Chicago Board Options Exchange]] (CBOE), and the [[Chicago Mercantile Exchange]] (the "Merc"). The city and the surrounding suburbs are home to 66 [[Fortune 500]] companies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2007/states/IL.html |title=FORTUNE 500 2007: States - Illinois |accessdate=2007-09-13 |publisher= CNNMoney.com}}</ref> Chicago and the surrounding areas also house many major brokerage firms and insurance companies, such as [[Allstate Corporation]] and Zürich North America. In addition, despite Chicago commonly being perceived as a rust-belt city, a study indicated that Chicago has the largest high-technology and information-technology industry employment in the United States.<ref>[http://edq.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/18/1/10?ijkey=50c44cb29d68315499a2aa3771131b328064bf28&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha Gauging Metropolitan "High-Tech" and "I-Tech" Activity (2004)]. Accessed from 'SAGE Publications'.</ref>

Manufacturing (which includes chemicals, metal, machinery, and consumer electronics), [[printing]] and [[publishing]], and food processing also play major roles in the city's economy. Nevertheless, much of the manufacturing occurs outside the city limits, especially since [[World War II]].<ref name="hirsch"> Hirsch, Susan E. (2004-2005). [http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/409.html Economic Geography]. ''Encyclopedia of Chicago (online edition)''.</ref> Several medical products and services companies are headquartered in the Chicago area, including [[Baxter International]], [[Abbott Laboratories]], and the Healthcare Financial Services division of [[General Electric]]. Moreover, the construction of the [[Illinois and Michigan Canal]], which helped move goods from the [[Great Lakes]] south on the [[Mississippi River]], and of the [[railroad]]s in the 19th century made the city a major transportation center in the United States. In the 1840s, Chicago became a major [[cereal|grain]] port, and in the 1850s and 1860s Chicago's pork and beef industry expanded. As the major meat companies grew in Chicago many, such as [[Armour & Co.|Armour]], created global enterprises. Though the meatpacking industry currently plays a lesser role in the city's economy,<ref name="hirsch"/> Chicago continues to be a major transportation and distribution center.

The city is also a major convention destination; Chicago is third in the U.S. behind [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]] and [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]] as far as the number of conventions hosted annually.<ref>[http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=20359 Chicago falls to 3rd in U.S. convention industry (4/26/2006)]. ''Crain's Chicago Business''.</ref> In addition, Chicago is home to eleven [[Fortune 500]] companies, while the metropolitan area hosts an additional 21 Fortune 500 companies.<ref>[http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/states/I.html Fortune 500 2006 - Illinois]. ''CNNMoney.com''.</ref> Chicago also hosts 12 Fortune Global 500 companies and 17 Financial Times 500 companies. The city claims one [[Dow 30]] company, [[aerospace]] giant [[Boeing]], which moved its headquarters from [[Seattle]] to the Loop in 2001. The city and its surrounding metropolitan area are also home to the second largest labor pool in the United States with approximately 4.25 million workers.<ref>{{PDFlink|[http://www.cbre.com/NR/rdonlyres/9326419A-60CC-47BC-9960-448BD4B32C52/0/MarketOutlook06FINAL.pdf Chicago Market Outlook 2006 - Market Commentary]|805&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 825266 bytes -->}}. ''CBRE - CB Richard Ellis''.</ref>
In 2006, Chicago placed 10th on the [[UBS AG|UBS]] list of the world's richest cities.<ref name="rich city">{{cite web|url=http://www.citymayors.com/economics/richest_cities.html|accessdate=August 2006|title=City Mayors: World's richest cities}}</ref>

{{See also|List of major companies in the Chicago metropolitan area|List of foreign consulates in Chicago}}

==Demographics==
{{main|Demographics of Chicago}}
{| class="toccolours" align="right" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin:0 0 1em 1em; font-size: 95%;"
|-
! colspan="4" bgcolor="#ccccff" align="center"| '''City of Chicago <br>Population by year<ref>Gibson, Campbell (June 1998). [http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0027.html Population of the 100 Largest Cities and Other Urban Places in the United States: 1790 to 1990]. ''U.S. Bureau of the Census - Population Division''.</ref>'''
|-
| align="center" | '''Census<br>year''' || align="center" | '''Population''' || align="center"| '''Rank'''
| colspan="3"<hr> |
|-
|1840 || 4,470 || 92
|-
|1850 || 29,963 || 24
|-
|1860 || 112,172 || 9
|-
|1870 || 298,977 || 5
|-
|1880 || 503,185 || 4
|-
|1890 || 1,099,850 || 2
|-
|1900 || 1,698,575 || 2
|-
|1910 || 2,185,283 || 2
|-
|1920 || 2,701,705 || 2
|-
|1930 || 3,376,438 || 2
|-
|1940 || 3,396,808 || 2
|-
|1950 || 3,620,962 || 2
|-
|1960 || 3,550,404 || 2
|-
|1970 || 3,366,957 || 2
|-
|1980 || 3,005,072 || 2
|-
|1990 || 2,783,726 || 3
|-
|[[United States Census 2000|2000]] || 2,896,016 || 3
|-
|2003 || 2,869,121 || 3
|-
|2006 || 2,873,321 || 3
|-
|}

Residents of Chicago are referred to as Chicagoans.

A 2006 estimate puts the city's population at 2,873,790.<ref>[http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2006/snapshots/PL1714000.html Best places to live 2006: Chicago, IL snapshot]. ''CNN Money''.</ref> As of the [[United States Census 2000|2000 census]], there were 2,896,016 people, 1,061,928 households, and 632,909 families residing within Chicago. More than half the population of the state of Illinois live in the Chicago metropolitan area. The [[population density]] of the city itself was 12,750.3 people per [[square mile]] (4,923.0/km²). There were 1,152,868 housing units at an average density of 5,075.8 per square mile (1,959.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 36.39% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 31.32% [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African-American]], 26.02% [[Hispanics in the United States|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]], 4.33% [[Asian American|Asian]] and [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.64% from two or more races, 0.15% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native-American]], and 0.15% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]].<ref>[http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/17/1714000.html Chicago Demographics (2003)]. ''US Census Bureau''</ref> With over 12,700 people per square mile, Chicago is one of the nation's most densely populated cities.

Of the 1,061,928 households, 28.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.1% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 18.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.4% were non-families. Of all households, 32.6% are made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.50.

Of the city population, 26.2% are under the age of 18, 11.2% are from 18 to 24, 33.4% are from 25 to 44, 18.9% are from 45 to 64, and 10.3% are 65 years of age or older. The [[median]] age is 32 years. For every 100 females there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $38,625, and the median income for a family was $46,748. Males had a median income of $35,907 versus $30,536 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $20,175. Below the [[poverty line]] are 19.6% of the population and 16.6% of the families. Of the total population, 28.1% of those under the age of 18 and 15.5% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Chicago has a large [[Irish-American]] population on its South Side. Many of the city’s politicians have come from this population, including current mayor [[Richard M. Daley]]. Other [[European ethnic groups]] are the [[Polish-American|Poles]], [[German-American|Germans]], [[Czechs]], and [[Italian-American|Italians]]. The majority of [[African Americans]] are also located on Chicago’s South and West Sides. The Chicago metropolitan area also has the second largest African American population, behind only [[New York City]].<ref>[http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/cmb/cmbp/reports/oct_17/chicago.asp.htm Report to Congress - October 1, 2000 Chicago Region], U.S. Census Monitoring Board.</ref> Chicago has the largest population of [[Swedish American]]s of any city in the U.S. with approximately 123,000. After the [[Great Chicago Fire]], many Swedish carpenters helped to rebuild the city, which led to the saying "the Swedes built Chicago".<ref>[http://www.wttw.com/main.taf?p=1,7,1,1,46 Chicago Stories - Swedes in Chicago (2006)]. ''WTTW.com''. Accessed June 5, 2006.</ref> Swedish influence is particularly evident in [[Andersonville, Chicago|Andersonville]] on the far north side.

[[Poles in Chicago]] make up the largest ethnically [[Polish people|Polish]] population outside of Warsaw, [[Poland]] making it one of the most important centers of [[Polonia]], a fact that the city celebrates every [[Labor Day]] weekend at the [[Taste of Polonia]] Festival in [[Jefferson Park, Chicago|Jefferson Park]].<ref>[http://www.usaweekend.com/05_issues/050515/050515travel_diverse.html#chicago America the diverse - Chicago’s Polish neighborhoods (5/15/2005)]''USA Weekend Magazine''.</ref> The [[Southwest Side, Chicago|Southwest Side]] is home to the largest concentration of [[Góral]]s ([[Carpathian mountains|Carpathian]] highlanders) outside of [[Europe]]; it is the location of the [[Polish Highlanders Alliance of North America]]. Chicago has one of the largest concentrations of [[Italian American]]s in the US, with 500,000 living in the metropolitan area.<ref>"[http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/658.html Italians]", Encyclopedia of Chicago.</ref> The city has a large population of [[Bulgarians]] (about 150,000), [[Serbs]]<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20061009090023/http://www.wtcc.org/DesktopModules/Blog/BlogView.aspx?tabID=348&ItemID=70&mid=2886 Serbian Delegation (4/30/2004)]. ''WTCC Weekly News'' at www.wtcc.org.</ref>, [[Lithuanian people|Lithuanians]],<ref>[http://www.economist.com/cities/findStory.cfm?city_id=CHI&folder=Facts-History Cities Guide Chicago - A hard-knock life (2006)]. ''Economist.com''.</ref>, and the third largest [[Greeks|Greek]] population of any city in the world.<ref>[http://www.wttw.com/main.taf?p=1,7,1,1,16 Chicago Stories - The Greeks in Chicago (2006)]. ''WTTW.com''. Accessed June 5, 2006.</ref> Chicago has a large [[Romanian-American]] community with more than 100,000,<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20061129103234/http://www.romanianmuseum.com/museum/LINKS/about.htm About Us]. ''Romanian Museum in Chicago'' at www.romanianmuseum.com.</ref> as well as a large [[Assyrians|Assyrian]] population with about 80,000. The city is the seat of the head of the [[Assyrian Church of the East]], [[Mar Dinkha IV]], the [[Evangelical Covenant Church]],<ref>www.covchurch.org.</ref> and the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in America]] headquarters.<ref>[http://www.elca.org/contactus.html Contact Us]. ''ELCA.org''.</ref>

Chicago has the third-largest South Asian population in the United States. The [[Devon Avenue (Chicago)|Devon Avenue]] corridor on the north side is one of the largest South Asian neighborhoods/markets in [[North America]]. Chicago has the second-largest [[Puerto Ricans in the United States|Puerto Rican]] population in the continental United States.<ref>[http://omsa.uchicago.edu/resources/altguide/humboltpark.shtml Alternative Guide to Chicago, Humboldt Park], Office of Multicultural Student Affairs at the [[University of Chicago]].</ref> and the second largest Mexican population in the United States after [[Los Angeles]].<ref>[http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2003/thesixthsection/special_mexican.html Mexican Hometown Associations], [[Xochitl Bada]], [[PBS]].</ref> There are about 185,000 Arabs in Cook County with another 75,000 in the five surrounding counties.<ref>"[http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/946.html Palestinians]", Encyclopedia of Chicago.</ref><ref>"[http://www.hanania.com/profiles/LittleArabia.htm Little Arabia on Chicago’s Northwest Side]", [[Ray Hanania]].</ref>

==Law and government==
[[Image:Critical Mass Chicago 050826.jpg|thumb|right|A [[Critical Mass]] gathering on the Daley Plaza, with [[Chicago City Hall]] in the background]]
{{main|Law and government of Chicago}}
{{seealso|List of Chicago city departments|Political history of Chicago}}

Chicago is the [[county seat]] of [[Cook County, Illinois|Cook County]]. The government of the City of Chicago is divided into [[executive (government)|executive]] and [[legislative]] branches. The [[Mayor of Chicago]] is the [[Chief Executive Officer|chief executive]], elected by general election for a term of four years. The mayor appoints commissioners and other officials who oversee the various departments. In addition to the mayor, Chicago's two other citywide elected officials are the clerk and the treasurer.

The [[Chicago City Council|City Council]] is the legislative branch and is made up of 50 aldermen, one elected from each [[ward (politics)|ward]] in the city. The council enacts local ordinances and approves the city budget. Government priorities and activities are established in a budget ordinance usually adopted each November. The council takes official action through the passage of ordinances and resolutions.

During much of the last half of the 19th century, Chicago's politics were dominated by a growing [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] organization dominated by ethnic ward-heelers. During the 1880s and 1890s, Chicago had a powerful radical tradition with large and highly organized [[socialism|socialist]], [[anarchism|anarchist]] and labor organizations.<ref>{{cite book | title=Labor and Urban Politics | author=Schneirov, Richard | publisher=University of Illinois Press | year=April 1, 1998 | id=ISBN 0-252-06676-6 | pages=173-174}}</ref> For much of the 20th century, Chicago has been among the largest and most reliable Democratic strongholds in the United States, with Chicago's Democratic vote totals leading the state of Illinois to be "[[Red state vs. blue state divide|solid blue]]" in [[United States presidential election|presidential elections]] since 1992. The citizens of Chicago have not elected a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] mayor since 1927, when [[William Hale Thompson|William Thompson]] was voted into office. The strength of the party in the city is partly a consequence of Illinois state politics, where the Republicans have come to represent the rural and farm concerns while the Democrats support urban issues such as Chicago's public school funding. Although Chicago includes less than 25% of the state's population, eight of Illinois' nineteen [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. Representatives]] have part of the city in their [[Illinois_Congressional_Districts|districts]].

Former Chicago Mayor [[Richard J. Daley]]'s mastery of [[political machine|machine politics]] preserved the [[Chicago Democratic Machine]] long after the demise of similar machines in other large U.S. cities.<ref>{{cite book | title=Chicano Politics and Society in the Late Twentieth Century | editor=Montejano, David | year=January 1, 1998 | publisher=University of Texas Press | id=ISBN 0-292-75215-6 | pages=33-34}}</ref> During much of that time, the city administration found opposition mainly from a liberal "independent" faction of the Democratic Party. The independents finally gained control of city government in 1983 with the election of [[Harold Washington]]. Since Washington's death, Chicago has since been under the leadership of [[Richard M. Daley]], the son of Richard J. Daley. Because of the dominance of the Democratic Party in Chicago, the Democratic [[primary election|primary]] vote held in the spring is generally more significant than the general elections in November.

===Crime===
{{main|Crime in Chicago|Organized crime in Chicago}}
[[Image:09.09.06 020.jpg|thumb|right|Chicago police officers in Marquette Park]]
Chicago saw a major rise in violent crime starting in the late 1960s. The city, however, has experienced a decline in overall crime since the 1990s.<ref>CPD 2004 Annual Report. {{PDFlink|[http://egov.cityofchicago.org/webportal/COCWebPortal/COC_EDITORIAL/04AR.pdf]|1.06&nbsp;[[Mebibyte|MiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 1119213 bytes -->}}</ref> Murders in the city peaked first in 1974, with 970 murders when the city's population was over three million people (resulting in a murder rate of around 29 per 100,000), and again in 1992 with 943 murders, resulting in a murder rate of 34 per 100,000.<ref>Heinzmann, David (1/1/2003). [http://qrc.depaul.edu/djabon/Articles/ChicagoCrime20030101.htm Chicago falls out of 1st in murders]. ''Chicago Tribune'', found at qrc.depaul.edu/djabon/Articles/ChicagoCrime20030101.htm.</ref> After adopting crime-fighting techniques recommended by [[Los Angeles]] and [[New York City]] [[Police Department]]s in 2004,<ref>David Heinzmann and Rex W. Huppke (12/19/2004). [http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/specials/chi-0412190514dec19,1,244718.story?page=2&coll=chi-newsspecials-hed City murder toll lowest in decades] ''Chicago Tribune''.</ref> Chicago recorded 448 [[homicide]]s, the lowest total since 1965 (15.65 per 100,000.) Chicago's homicide tally remained steady throughout 2005 and 2006 to 449 and 452, respectively, and the overall crime rate in 2006 continued the downward trend that has taken place since the early 1990s.<ref>Chicago Police Department News Release, January 19, 2007 {{PDFlink|[http://www.ci.chi.il.us/webportal/COCWebPortal/COC_EDITORIAL/CrimeDrop2006.pdf]|494&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 506115 bytes -->}}</ref>

==Education==
===Public education===
The [[Chicago Public Schools]] (CPS) is the [[school district]] that controls over 600 public elementary and high schools in Chicago. The school district, with more than 400,000 students enrolled,<ref>[http://www.cps.k12.il.us/AtAGlance.html CPS At A Glance (2005)]. ''Chicago Public Schools'' at www.cps.k12.il.us/AtAGlance.html.</ref> is led by [[CEO]] [[Arne Duncan]]. The CPS also includes several selective-admission magnet schools.

Like many urban U.S. school districts, Chicago Public Schools suffered many problems throughout the latter half of the 20th century, including overcrowding, underfunding, mismanagement and a high dropout rate. In 1987, then U.S. Secretary of Education [[William Bennett]] named the Chicago Public Schools as the "worst in the nation." Several [[education reform|school reform]] initiatives have since been undertaken to improve the system's performance. Reforms have included a system of [[Local School Council]]s, [[Charter School]]s, and efforts to end [[social promotion]]. The most notable and public of these reforms has been a concerted effort at aggressively closing down underperforming schools while at the same time renovating and improving successful ones or building new ones.<ref>{{cite book | title=Making Schools Work | author=Ouchi, William G. | year=September 8, 2003 | id=ISBN 0-7432-4630-6 | publisher=Simon and Schuster | pages=3}}</ref>

===Private schools===
The [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago]] operates the city's [[Roman Catholic]] schools. Among the well-known private schools are the [[Latin School of Chicago|Latin School]] and [[Francis W. Parker School (Chicago)]] in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, and the [[University of Chicago Laboratory Schools]] in Hyde Park.

===Higher education===
{{main|Colleges and universities of Chicago}}

[[Image:MidwayView1.JPG|thumb|right|The [[University of Chicago]]'s [[Midway Plaisance]], a long stretch of parkland that bisects the campus]]

Since the 1890s, Chicago has been a world center in higher education and research. Two of America's top research universities are located in Chicago: the [[University of Chicago]] in [[Hyde Park, Chicago|Hyde Park]] on the south side of the city and [[Northwestern University]] in the northern suburb of [[Evanston, Illinois|Evanston]]. The [[University of Chicago Graduate School of Business]] maintains a campus in downtown Chicago, and Northwestern University's [[Feinberg School of Medicine]] and [[Northwestern University School of Law|School of Law]] are located in [[Streeterville]], a neighborhood in the Near North Side community area of Chicago. [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] universities are located in Chicago, such as [[DePaul University]] (the largest Catholic university in the U.S.), and [[Loyola University Chicago|Loyola University]], which has one campus in the North Side and one in the downtown area, as well as a Medical Center in the western suburb of Maywood. Loyola University Chicago is the largest Jesuit Catholic university in the country.

[[Image:dpu center.jpg|thumb|right|[[DePaul University]]'s College of Commerce at State Street and Jackson Boulevard downtown in the [[Chicago Loop]]]]

The [[University of Illinois at Chicago]] is the city's largest university and features the nation's [[University of Illinois College of Medicine|largest medical school]]. [[Chicago State University]] and [[Northeastern Illinois University]] are other state universities in Chicago. The city also has a large [[community college]] system known as the [[City Colleges of Chicago]].

Founded on the principles of social justice, [[Roosevelt University]] was named in honor of president Franklin D. Roosevelt, two weeks after his death.

The [[Illinois Institute of Technology]] in [[Douglas, Chicago|Bronzeville]] has renowned engineering and architecture programs, and was host to world-famous modern architect [[Ludwig Mies van der Rohe]] for many years. The [[Vandercook College of Music]] and Great Books based [[Shimer College]] share Illinois Institute of Technology's campus.

[[Rush Medical College]], now part of [[Rush University]], was the first institution of higher learning chartered in Illinois and one of the first medical schools to open west of the Alleghenies. In fact, Rush Medical College received its charter on March 2, 1837, two days before the city of Chicago was incorporated.

The Chicago region has 12 accredited theological schools representing Catholic and most Protestant denominations. The United Church of Christ-related [[Chicago Theological Seminary]] is the city's oldest institution of higher education. These accredited seminaries are joined in a consortium known as the Association of Chicago Theological Schools (ACTS).<ref>[http://campus.northpark.edu/acts/ Association of Chicago Theological Schools]</ref> The [[Moody Bible Institute]] is near downtown. [[North Park University]], a small Christian liberal arts university affiliated with the [[Evangelical Covenant Church]], is located on the northwest side in the North Park neighborhood.

Finally, there are several colleges noted for their art programs. [[School of the Art Institute of Chicago|The School of the Art Institute of Chicago]] and the [[American Academy of Art]] are well-known for [[fine arts]] programs. The [[Illinois Institute of Art Chicago]] is well-known for its applied arts programs. [[Columbia College Chicago]] is well-known for its performing arts and communications programs and [[Harrington College of Design]] is well-known for its interior design program.

==Infrastructure==
===Health systems===
[[Image:Prentice Chicago 060816.jpg|thumb|right|The new Prentice Women's Hospital at [[Northwestern University]]'s Medical Center]]
Chicago is home to the [[Illinois Medical District]] on the Near West Side. It includes [[Rush University Medical Center]], the [[University of Illinois College of Medicine|University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago]], and [[John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County]], the largest trauma-center in the city.
The [[University of Chicago]] operates the [[University of Chicago Hospitals]], which was ranked the fourteenth best [[hospital]] in the country by ''[[U.S. News and World Report]]''.<ref name="hospital">{{cite web | title=America's Best Hospitals | year=2005 | publisher=U.S. News and World Report | url=http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/best-hospitals/honorroll.htm | accessdate=2006-05-31}}</ref> It is the only hospital in [[Illinois]] ever to be included in the magazine's "Honor Roll" of the best hospitals in the [[United States]].<ref name="honor">{{cite web | title=National survey again names University of Chicago Hospitals to the Honor Roll of the best US hospitals | year=2005 | publisher=University of Chicago Hospitals | url=http://www.uchospitals.edu/about/awards/usnews.html | accessdate=2006-06-06}}</ref>

The [[University of Illinois College of Medicine]] at [[University of Illinois at Chicago|UIC]] is the largest medical school in the United States (1300 students, including those at campuses in [[Peoria, Illinois|Peoria]], [[Rockford, Illinois|Rockford]] and [[University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign|Urbana-Champaign]]).<ref>[http://www.uic.edu/depts/mcam/history.shtml About the College - A Brief History of the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine (2005)]. ''UIC College of Medicine'' at www.uic.edu/depts/mcam/history.shtml.</ref> Chicago is also home to other nationally recognized medical schools including [[Rush Medical College]], the [[Pritzker School of Medicine]] of the [[University of Chicago]], and the [[Feinberg School of Medicine]] of [[Northwestern University]]. In addition, the [[Chicago Medical School]] and [[Loyola University Chicago]]'s Stritch School of Medicine are located in the suburbs of [[North Chicago, Illinois|North Chicago]] and [[Maywood, Illinois|Maywood]], respectively. The [[Midwestern University]] Chicago College of [[Osteopathic Medicine]] is in [[Downers Grove, Illinois|Downers Grove]].

The [[American Medical Association]], [[American Osteopathic Association]], [[American Dental Association]], [[Academy of General Dentistry]], [[American Dietetic Association]], [[American College of Surgeons]], [[American Society for Clinical Pathology]], [[American College of Healthcare Executives]] and the [[American Hospital Association]] are all based in the city.

===Transportation===
[[Image:Trainskyline.jpg|right|thumb|CTA Blue Line at Eisenhower Expressway and Ashland Avenue]]
{{main|Streets and highways of Chicago|Mass transit in Chicago|Chicago 'L'|Chicago airports}}
Chicago is a major transportation hub in the United States. It is an important component in global distribution, as it is the third largest inter-modal port in the world after [[Hong Kong]] and [[Singapore]].<ref>
Madigan, p.52.</ref> Additionally, it is the only city in North America in which six [[Class I railroad]]s meet.<ref>[http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ENVIRonment/freightaq/appendixc.htm Appendix C: Regional Freight Transportation Profiles]. ''Assessing the Effects of Freight Movement on Air Quality at the National and Regional Level''. U.S. Department of Transportation - Federal Highway Administration (April 2005).</ref>

Chicago is one of the largest hubs of passenger rail service in the nation. Many [[Amtrak]] long distance services originate from [[Union Station (Chicago)|Union Station]]. Such services provide connections to New York, [[Seattle]], [[New Orleans]], [[San Francisco]], [[Los Angeles]] and [[Washington, D.C.]] Amtrak also provides a number of short-haul services throughout Illinois and toward nearby [[Milwaukee]].

Nine [[interstate highways]] run through Chicago and its suburbs. Segments that link to the city center are named after influential politicians, with four of them named after former US Presidents. Traffic reports tend to use the names rather than interstate numbers.

The [[Regional Transportation Authority (Illinois)|Regional Transportation Authority]] (RTA) coordinates the operation of the three service boards: CTA, Metra, and Pace. The [[Chicago Transit Authority]] (CTA) handles public transportation in Chicago and a few adjacent suburbs. The CTA operates an extensive network of buses and a [[rapid transit]] system known locally as the [[Chicago 'L'|"L"]] (for "elevated"), with several lines, including service to Midway and O'Hare airports. [[Pace (transit)|Pace]] provides bus and [[paratransit]] service in over 200 surrounding suburbs with some extensions into the city. Bicycles are permitted on all CTA and Metra trains during non-rush hours and on all buses 24 hours. [[Metra]] operates commuter rail service in Chicago and its suburbs. The [[Metra Electric Line]] shares the railway with the South Shore Line's [[South Shore Line (NICTD)|NICTD]] Northern Indiana Commuter Rail Service, providing commuter service between [[South Bend]] and Chicago.

Chicago offers a wide array of bicycle transportation facilities, such as miles of on-street bike lanes, 10,000 bike racks, and a state-of-the-art central bicycle commuter station in Millennium Park. The city has a 100-mile on-street bicycle lane network that is maintained by the Chicago Department of Transportation [[Bike Program]] and the [[Chicagoland Bicycle Federation]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagobikes.org/existingbikelanes.html|title=Existing Bike Lanes|date=2006-01|accessdate=2007-08-23|work=City of Chicago}}</ref> In addition, trails dedicated to bikes only are built throughout the city.

[[Image:O'Hare Terminal 1.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[O'Hare International Airport]] Terminal 1 - Concourse B]]

Chicago is served by [[Chicago Midway International Airport|Midway International Airport]] on the south side and [[O'Hare International Airport]], one of the world's busiest airports, on the far northwest side. In 2005, O'Hare was the world's busiest airport by aircraft movements and the second busiest by total passenger traffic (due to government enforced flight caps).<ref>{{PDFlink|[http://www.airports.org/aci/aci/file/Press%20Releases/PR140306_2005_Prelim_Results.pdf Preliminary Traffic Results for 2005 Show Firm Rebound (3/14/2006)]|520&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 533093 bytes -->}}. ''Airports Council International''.</ref> Both O'Hare and Midway are owned and operated by the City of Chicago. [[Gary/Chicago International Airport]], located in nearby [[Gary, Indiana]], serves as the third Chicago area airport, although [[SkyValue]] offers the only seasonal scheduled passenger service. [[Chicago/Rockford International Airport]], formerly Greater Rockford Airport, serves as a regional base for United Parcel Service cargo flights, some passenger flights, and occasionally as a reliever to O'Hare, usually in times of bad weather. Chicago is the world headquarters for [[United Airlines]], world's second-largest airline by revenue-passenger-kilometers. Midway airport serves as a 'focus city' for [[Southwest Airlines]], the world's largest low-cost airline.

A small airport, [[Meigs Field]], was located on the Lake Michigan waterfront adjacent to Grant Park and downtown. There were long-term scheduled flights to Springfield as well as some service to other cities. At 1:30 a.m. on [[March 31]] [[2003]], the airport runways were unexpectedly destroyed by order of the Mayor, who had sought closure of the airport and development of the land.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20070517105748/http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsitems/2003/03-1-157x.html Mayor Daley bulldozes Chicago's Meigs Field]</ref> This resulted in a fine to the city by the Federal Aviation Administration for closure of the airport without sufficient notice, but the airport was eventually demolished.

===Utilities===
[[Image:Chicago-Power-Engery-Hydro-Station.jpg|thumb|right|ComEd Power station near the Loop, 1300 S. Lumber St.]]

Electricity for most of northern Illinois is provided by [[Commonwealth Edison]], also known as ComEd. Their service territory borders [[Iroquois County, Illinois|Iroquois County]] to the south, the [[Wisconsin]] border to the north, the [[Iowa]] border to the west and the [[Indiana]] border to the east. In northern Illinois, ComEd (a division of [[Exelon]]) operates the greatest number of nuclear generating plants in any US state. Because of this, ComEd reports indicate that Chicago receives about 75% of its electricity from [[nuclear power]]. Recently, the city started the installation of wind turbines on government buildings with the aim to promote the use of renewable energy. [http://www.iit.edu/~ipro307f/faq.html] [http://www.kentlaw.edu/news/advisory/adv030707.html] [http://news.com.com/Micro+wind+turbines+are+coming+to+town/2100-11398_3-6037539.html]

Domestic and industrial waste was once incinerated but it is now [[landfill]]ed, mainly in the [[Lake Calumet|Calumet area]]. Since 1995, the city has had a [[blue bag]] program to divert certain refuse from landfills. [http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1322.html]

==Sister cities==

Chicago has twenty-seven [[town twinning|sister cities]]:<ref name="sistercities">Sister Cities designated by [http://www.chicagosistercities.com/explore.php Chicago Sister Cities International] Retrieved on [[May 22]], [[2007]].</ref> Many of them, like Chicago, are the [[second city]] of their country, or are the main city of a country that has sent many immigrants to Chicago over the years.

{| cellpadding="10"
|- valign="top"
|
*{{flagicon|Ghana}} '''[[Accra]]''' ([[Ghana]]) ''since 1989''
*{{flagicon|Jordan}} '''[[Amman]]''' ([[Jordan]]) ''2004''
*{{flagicon|Greece}} '''[[Athens]]''' ([[Greece]]) ''1997''
*{{flagicon|Serbia}} '''[[Belgrade]]''' ([[Serbia]]) ''2005''
*{{flagicon|GBR}} '''[[Birmingham]]''' ([[United Kingdom]]) ''1993''
*{{flagicon|South Korea}} '''[[Busan]]''' ([[South Korea]]) ''2007''
*{{flagicon|Morocco}} '''[[Casablanca]]''' ([[Morocco]]) ''1982''
*{{flagicon|India}} '''[[Delhi]]''' ([[India]]) ''2001''
*{{flagicon|South Africa}} '''[[Durban]]''' ([[South Africa]]) ''1997''
*{{flagicon|Ireland}} '''[[Galway]]''' ([[Republic of Ireland]]) ''1997''
*{{flagicon|Sweden}} '''[[Gothenburg]]''' ([[Sweden]]) ''1987''
*{{flagicon|Germany}} '''[[Hamburg]]''' ([[Germany]]) ''1994''
*{{flagicon|Ukraine}} '''[[Kiev]]''' ([[Ukraine]]) ''1991''
*{{flagicon|Pakistan}} '''[[Lahore]]''' ([[Pakistan]]) ''2007''
||
||
*{{flagicon|Switzerland}} '''[[Lucerne]]''' ([[Switzerland]]) ''1998''
*{{flagicon|Mexico}} '''[[Mexico City]]''' ([[Mexico]]) ''1991''
*{{flagicon|Italy}} '''[[Milan]]''' ([[Italy]]) ''1973''
*{{flagicon|Russia}} '''[[Moscow]]''' ([[Russia]]) ''1997''
*{{flagicon|Japan}} '''[[Osaka]]''' ([[Japan]]) ''1973''
*{{flagicon|France}} '''[[Paris]]''' ([[France]]) ''1996''
*{{flagicon|Israel}} '''[[Petah Tikva]]''' ([[Israel]]) ''1994''
*{{flagicon|Czech Republic}} '''[[Prague]]''' ([[Czech Republic]]) ''1990''
*{{flagicon|People's Republic of China}} '''[[Shanghai]]''' ([[People's Republic of China]]) ''1985''
*{{flagicon|People's Republic of China}} '''[[Shenyang]]''' ([[People's Republic of China]]) ''1985''
*{{flagicon|Canada}} '''[[Toronto]]''' ([[Ontario]], [[Canada]]) ''1991''
*{{flagicon|Lithuania}} '''[[Vilnius]]''' ([[Lithuania]]) ''1993''
*{{flagicon|Poland}} '''[[Warsaw]]''' ([[Poland]]) ''1960''
|}

==References==
<div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;">
<references/></div>

==Further reading==
<!--When creating entries to additional items please refer to the Wikipedia [[Wikipedia:Cite sources|Cite Sources]] guidelines. -->
*[http://www.chipublib.org/004chicago/chihist.html Chicago Timeline]. ''Chicago Public Library'' at www.chipublib.org/004chicago/chihist.html.
*[{{Gnis3|423587}} USGS&mdash;Chicago] - Elevation and topography.
* James R. Grossman, Ann Durkin Keating, Janice L. Reiff. ''The Encyclopedia of Chicago'' (University of Chicago Press 2005) ISBN 0-226-31015-9; [http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/ ''The Encyclopedia of Chicago (online version)'']
*{{cite book
| title=Global Chicago
| editor=Charles Madigan.
| publisher=University of Illinois Press
| year=September 1, 2004
| id=ISBN 0-252-02941-0
}}
*{{cite book
| first = Donald L.
| last = Miller
| year = 1996
| month = April
| title = City of the Century: The Epic of Chicago and the Making of America
| publisher = Simon & Schuster
| id = ISBN 0-684-80194-9
}}

==External links==
*[http://www.cityofchicago.org/ Official City Website]
{{Spoken Wikipedia|Chicago.ogg|2005-07-22}}
{{sisterlinks|Chicago}}
{{portal|Chicago}}
*{{wikitravelpar|Chicago}}
*[http://www.chicagolandchamber.org/ Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce]
*[http://www.choosechicago.com/ Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau]

{{Geolinks-cityscale|41.8675|-87.6243}}

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[[eu:Chicago]]
[[fa:شیکاگو]]
[[fr:Chicago]]
[[ga:Chicago]]
[[gl:Chicago, Illinois]]
[[ko:시카고]]
[[hy:Չիկագո]]
[[hr:Chicago]]
[[io:Chicago]]
[[id:Chicago]]
[[is:Chicago]]
[[it:Chicago]]
[[he:שיקגו]]
[[pam:Chicago]]
[[ka:ჩიკაგო]]
[[ku:Chicago]]
[[la:Sicagum]]
[[lv:Čikāga]]
[[lt:Čikaga]]
[[hu:Chicago]]
[[mk:Чикаго]]
[[ms:Chicago]]
[[nl:Chicago]]
[[ja:シカゴ]]
[[no:Chicago]]
[[nn:Chicago]]
[[oc:Chicago]]
[[nds:Chicago]]
[[pl:Chicago]]
[[pt:Chicago]]
[[ro:Chicago, Illinois]]
[[ru:Чикаго]]
[[sq:Chicago]]
[[scn:Chicagu]]
[[simple:Chicago, Illinois]]
[[sk:Chicago]]
[[sl:Chicago]]
[[sr:Чикаго]]
[[sh:Chicago]]
[[fi:Chicago]]
[[sv:Chicago]]
[[ta:சிகாகோ]]
[[th:ชิคาโก]]
[[vi:Chicago]]
[[tg:Чикаго]]
[[tr:Chicago, Illinois]]
[[uk:Чикаго]]
[[vo:Chicago]]
[[diq:Chicago]]
[[zh:芝加哥]]

Revision as of 22:41, 24 September 2007

SOX RULE!

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