Chicago

===Topography===
[[File:Chicago-00.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of the [[Chicago Loop]] in 2012]]
[[File:Full chicago skyline.jpg|thumb|upright=1|Downtown and the North Side with beaches lining the waterfront]]
[[File:Chicago by Sentinel-2.jpg|thumb|upright=1|A satellite image of Chicago]]
Chicago is located in northeastern Illinois on the southwestern shores of freshwater Lake Michigan. It is the principal city in the [[Chicago Metropolitan Area|Chicago metropolitan area]], situated in both the [[Midwestern United States]] and the [[Great Lakes region (North America)|Great Lakes region]]. The city rests on a [[continental divide]] at the site of the Chicago Portage, connecting the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes [[drainage basin|watersheds]]. In addition to it lying beside Lake Michigan, two rivers—the Chicago River in downtown and the [[Calumet River]] in the industrial far South Side—flow either entirely or partially through the city.{{sfnp|Condit|1973|pp=5–6}}{{sfnp|Genzen|2007|pp=6–9}}

Chicago's history and economy are closely tied to its proximity to Lake Michigan. While the Chicago River historically handled much of the region's waterborne cargo, today's huge [[lake freighter]]s use the city's [[Port of Chicago|Lake Calumet Harbor]] on the South Side. The lake also provides another positive effect: moderating Chicago's climate, making waterfront neighborhoods slightly warmer in winter and cooler in summer.<ref>{{cite web |last=Angel |first=Jim |title=State Climatologist Office for Illinois |url=http://www.isws.illinois.edu/atmos/statecli/general/chicago-climate-narrative.htm |work=Illinois State Water Survey |publisher=[[Prairie Research Institute]] |access-date=August 4, 2013 |archive-date=July 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130724032003/http://www.isws.illinois.edu/atmos/statecli/General/chicago-climate-narrative.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

When Chicago was founded in 1837, most of the early building was 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 |year=2004 |access-date=July 3, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070423202023/http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/11175.html |archive-date=April 23, 2007}}</ref> The overall [[Land grading|grade]] of the city's central, built-up areas is relatively consistent with the natural flatness of its overall natural geography, generally exhibiting only slight differentiation otherwise. The average land elevation is {{convert|579|ft|+1|abbr=on}} [[Above mean sea level|above sea level]]. While measurements vary somewhat,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.chipublib.org/blogs/post/the-elevation-of-chicago-a-statistical-mystery/ |title=The Elevation of Chicago: A Statistical Mystery |website=Chicago Public Library |date=September 29, 2014 |language=en-US |access-date=November 22, 2018 |archive-date=June 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609092728/https://www.chipublib.org/blogs/post/the-elevation-of-chicago-a-statistical-mystery/ |url-status=live }}</ref> the lowest points are along the lake shore at {{convert|578|ft|+1|abbr=on}}, while the highest point, at {{convert|672|ft|abbr=on}}, is the morainal ridge of [[Beverly, Chicago|Blue Island]] in the city's far south side.<ref name=neiu>{{cite web |title=Chicago Facts |url=http://www.neiu.edu/~jmhemzac/courses/docs/ofs2005-09%20small2.pdf |work=[[Northeastern Illinois University]] |access-date=August 28, 2013 |page=46 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110213300/https://www.neiu.edu/~jmhemzac/courses/docs/ofs2005-09%20small2.pdf |archive-date=November 10, 2013}}</ref>

[[Lake Shore Drive]] runs adjacent to a large portion of Chicago's waterfront. Some of the parks along the waterfront include [[Lincoln Park]], [[Grant Park (Chicago)|Grant Park]], [[Burnham Park (Chicago)|Burnham Park]], and [[Jackson Park (Chicago)|Jackson Park]]. There are 24 public [[Chicago beaches|beaches]] across {{convert|26|mi|km|0}} of the waterfront.<ref name=usabeaches>{{cite news |last=Fulton |first=Jeff |title=Public Beaches in Chicago |url=http://traveltips.usatoday.com/public-beaches-chicago-53741.html |work=[[USA Today]] |access-date=August 28, 2013 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304054140/http://traveltips.usatoday.com/public-beaches-chicago-53741.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Landfill extends into portions of the lake providing space for [[Navy Pier]], [[Northerly Island]], the [[Museum Campus Chicago|Museum Campus]], and large portions of the [[McCormick Place]] Convention Center. Most of the city's high-rise commercial and residential buildings are close to the waterfront.

An informal name for the entire [[Chicago metropolitan area]] is "Chicagoland", which generally means the city and all its suburbs, though different organizations have slightly different definitions.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/realestate/communities/ |title=Chicago Tribune Classifieds map of Chicagoland |work=Chicago Tribune |access-date=May 4, 2009 |archive-date=July 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220713090859/https://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/realestate/communities/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Chicagoland Region |url=http://www.enjoyillinois.com/topSpots/region.aspx?area=chicagoland |work=EnjoyIllinois.com |publisher=Illinois Department of Tourism |access-date=August 14, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928043624/http://www.enjoyillinois.com/topSpots/region.aspx?area=chicagoland |archive-date=September 28, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Fast Facts About The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce |url=http://www.chicagolandchamber.org/sub/fast_facts.asp |publisher=Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209003914/http://www.chicagolandchamber.org/sub/fast_facts.asp |archive-date=February 9, 2009 |access-date=January 6, 2014}}</ref>