In spite of the irregular nature of the surface, but little of the soil can be called unproductive. About 21·40 per cent. is under tillage, 1275 in meadow, and 1675 in pasture, while nearly a half of the total area is covered with fine forests. The chief crops are oats, maize, rye, wheat, buckwheat, potatoes, and flax. Wine is produced in the valleys of Lower Styria, where large quantities of chestnuts are also grown. In the mountains dairy-farming is successfully carried on in the Alpine fashion, and good horses are reared in the valley of the Enns. Sheep are comparatively few, but there are large numbers of goats and swine, while poultry-rearing and bee-keeping are very general in the Slavonic districts to the south. Some fairly successful attempts have also been made to breed silkworms. Trout and other fish are abundant in the rivers and mountain lakes and chamois are hunted among the higher Alps.

The great wealth of Styria, however, lies underground. Its extensive and important iron mines yield nearly one-third of the iron ore raised in the Austrian empire, and its other mineral resources include brown coal, pit-coal, copper, zinc, lead, graphite, a little gold and silver, nickel, alum, cobalt, salt, dyer’s earth, potter’s clay, marble, and good mill and building stones. The best known of its numerous mineral springs are the thermal springs of Tüffer, the alkaline springs of Rohitsch, and the brine springs of Aussee.

The chief industry of Styria is determined by its mineral richness, and iron-foundries, machine-shops, and manufactures of various kinds of iron and steel goods are very numerous. A special branch is the making of scythes and sickles, which are sent out of the country in large quantities. Among its other industrial products are glass, paper, cement, oil and perfumery, shoes, cotton goods, chemicals, and gunpowder. Linen-weaving is prosecuted as a household industry. An active trade is carried on in the above-named manufactures, and in brown coal, cattle, wine, and fruit. In addition to three navigable rivers (Drave, Save, Mur), the traffic of the duchy is facilitated by 600 miles of railway.

The population of Styria in 1880 was 1,213,597, equivalent to 140 per square mile, a proportion which, while not high in itself, is considerably above the rate in the other mountainous regions of the empire. Nearly the whole of these profess the Roman Catholic faith, the Protestants numbering only 8000 and the Jews about 1000. Two-thirds of the inhabitants are Germans; the remainder, chiefly found in the south parts of the duchy, in the valleys of the Drave and Save, are Slavs (Slovenes). About 65 per cent. are supported by agricultural pursuits, including forestry. The education of the crownland centres in the university of Gratz, which is attended by about 1200 students. The capital and seat of the administration is Gratz (100,000 inhabitants), which is also the headquarters of the third corps of the Austrian army; the only other town of any size is Marburg (17,600). The provincial estates consist of 63 members, including the two Roman Catholic bishops, the rector of the university, 12 representatives of the large landowners, 23 of the peasants, 19 of the towns, and 6 of the chambers of commerce. Styria sends 23 members to the imperial parliament.

In the Roman period Styria, which even thus early was famed for its iron and steel, was inhabited by the Celtic Taurisci, and divided geographically between Noricum and Pannonia. Subsequently it was successively occupied or traversed by Visigoths, Huns, Ostrogoths, Langobardi, Franks, and Avars. Towards the end of the 6th century the last-named began to give way to the Slavs (Wends), who ultimately made themselves masters of the entire district. Styria was included in the conquests of Charlemagne,, and was henceforth comprised in the German marks erected against the Avar and the Slav. At first the identity of Styria is lost in the great duchy of Carinthia, corresponding more or less closely to the Upper Carinthian mark. This duchy, however, afterwards fell to pieces, and a distinct mark of Styria was recognized, taking its name from the margrave Ottocar of Steier (1056). A century or so later it was created a duchy. In 1192 the duchy of Styria came by inheritance to the house of Austria, and from that time it shared the fortunes of Upper and Lower Austria, passing like them to the Hapsburgs in 1282. The Protestant Reformation met an early and general welcome in Styria, but the dukes took the most stringent measures to stamp it out, offering their subjects recantation or expatriation as the only alternatives. At least 30,000 Protestants preferred exile, and it was not till about 100 years ago that religious liberty was recognized. The modern history of Styria has been similar to that of the other Austrian crownlands, and calls for no special remark.