Southern Illinois

Southern Illinois Little Egypt
Region of Illinois
Marion, Illinois
Counties of Southern Illinois. In red are the counties usually included, in pink are counties sometimes included.
Country	United States
State	Illinois
Largest city	Belleville
Population	1.2 million

Southern Illinois (also known as "Little Egypt" or "Egypt") is the southern third of the state of Illinois. With the area code 618, the southern part of Illinois is geographically, culturally, and economically distinct from the rest of the state. It is considered a part of downstate Illinois. The region is bordered on three of four sides by the most voluminous rivers in the United States: the Wabash and Ohio rivers to the east and south, and the Mississippi River and its connecting Missouri River to the west.

Southern Illinois' most populated city is currently Belleville at 44,478. Other principal cities include Alton, Centralia, Collinsville, Edwardsville, O'Fallon, Harrisburg, Mt. Vernon, Marion, and Carbondale, where the main campus of Southern Illinois University is located. Residents travel to amenities in St. Louis and Cape Girardeau, Missouri; Memphis, Tennessee; Evansville, Indiana; and Paducah, Kentucky. The region is also home to a major military installation, Scott Air Force Base.