Chicago, also known as “The Windy City”, is the largest city by population in Illinois. The city is ranked among the world’s 25 largest urban areas by population in the country.
Located in northeastern Illinois, Chicago can be divided into four sections: Downtown (the Loop), the North Side, the South Side, and the West Side. Downtown (the Loop) holds several commercial, cultural, and financial institutions. The North Side is the most populated section. Two of the city’s largest parades, the South Side Irish Parade and the African American Bud Billiken Day parade, take place in the South Side. The West Side is home to the largest collection of tropical plants, Garfield Park Conservatory.
Chicago is the home to a number of professional sports teams such as: The Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox (Major League Baseball), The Chicago Bears (NFL), Chicago Rush (Arena Football League) and the Chicago Blackhawks (NHL).
Chicago has a reputation for housing several financial exchanges, brokerage firms, and insurance companies. The Chicago Stock Exchange, the Chicago Board Options Exchange, and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange can be found here.
For recreation, residents and tourists can visit a wide variety of museums and public parks. The city’s main museums include the Adler Planetarium, the Field Museum of Natural History, and the Shedd Aquarium. Other notable museums are the Chicago History Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Museum of Science and Industry. There are many educational institutions in Chicago. The city has 680 public schools, 394 private schools, 83 colleges, and 88 libraries. Northwestern University and the University of Chicago are two of Chicago’s best universities.