Chicago

Located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan, Chicago is the largest city in Illinois, and 3rd largest in the United States overall. As of the 2000 census, the city itself had a population of 2,896,016. Additionally, when combined with its suburbs and the nine surrounding counties in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, the metropolitan area (known as "Chicago land") has a population of almost 10 million. The city has a highly diversified economy, including financial services, manufacturing, printing and publishing. Chicago is home to the nation's 2nd largest business district (after New York City), and the 3rd largest media market (after Los Angeles and New York City), and four major financial and futures exchanges. Chicago is a popular tourist destination, attracting well over 30 million visitors each year. Some of the attractions in Chicago include:- Adler Planetarium- Aon Center- Field Museum of Natural History- John G. Shedd Aquarium- John Hancock Center- Lincoln Park Zoo- Museum of Contemporary Art- Sears Tower Here is some more information about the area:- Some of the major companies with their headquarters in Chicago include Boeing, Exelon and Sara Lee.- Major airports for Chicago include Chicago Midway International Airport and O'Hare International Airport.- Perhaps the best known educational institution in Chicago is the University of Chicago.  The University of Chicago is a private university that was originally founded by John D. Rockefeller in 1890, and held its first classes in 1892..- Professional sports teams in Chicago include the American football team, the Chicago Bears, the baseball team, the Chicago Cubs, the baseball team, the Chicago White Sox, the basketball team, the Chicago Bulls, and the ice hockey team, the Chicago Blackhawks.