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 Chicago - So Much More Than Just the Windy City!  
Chicago is the third largest city in population in the USA. Located along the shore of Lake Michigan, the metropolitan area, called Chicagoland, has a population of about 10 million people. Find out a little more in the mini-guide to the Windy City.

By Michael Russell

Chicago is the third largest city in population in the USA. Located along the shore of Lake Michigan, the metropolitan area, called Chicagoland, has a population of about 10 million people. According to Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network, Chicago is one of the 10 'Alpha' cities, which means that the City is responsible for influencing the world's economic base.

The ethnic diversity is a mark of Chicago. Downtown, the suburbs and the regions around it include a population formed by people from varied ethnic groups, which is revealed in the traditions and cultural aspects seen all over the City.

Statistics show that: about one-third of Chicagoans (that is what they call people who live in Chicago) living in the central City are Caucasian, another third are African-American and the rest, Hispanic or Asian.

A Little Bit of Geography

Chicago is a city of climate extremes. Winters are extremely cold, and summer can have maddening heat waves. In general, temperatures in summer are about 72F up to 84F (23C to 28C). Temperatures in winter can vary widely, and periods of temperatures below 32F (0C) are not uncommon. On average, the temperatures during the afternoons are about 25F (-4C) and 10F (-12C) at night.

Different Cultures

The population of Chicago consists of several ethnic groups, but mainly: Irish, Germans, Italians and Polish. Additionally, Chicago has a large population of Swedish-Americans. Chicago is also the third largest Greek city. The metropolitan area is now also becoming a major center for Indian-Americans and South Asians. And this is before we consider the African-American population.

These ethnic groups leave their marks on the social structure of the City and its cultural aspects. It is more than just an economic city, Chicago offers several options for cultural visits - such as museums, theaters, and musical performances. The cuisine offers hundreds of options for its visitors, since people will not have trouble finding restaurants of most different nationalities.

Economy

Chicago is the second financial center of the United States, and it has been a center of commerce for most of its modern history. According to specialists in the area, if Chicago were a nation-state, its gross metropolitan product would rank in the 18th position in the world, at about 380 billion dollars.

Chicago has the second largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the United States at 63. It also hosts 12 Fortune Global 500 companies and 17 Financial Times 500 companies.

The number of workers? About 4.25 million! Chicago is one of the best cities in which to do business.


About the Author:

Michael Russell is your independent guide to Chicago. Article source: 111 Travel Directory: Triple1.com (triple one dot com)

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  Article added 07/18/07.

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