Styria, Austria's second-largest state, is home to 1.2 million people. The diversity of Styria’s landscape is reflected in its nine regions – from the mountains in the north to the hilly country in the south. Since about 61% of the area is wooded, the state is popularly called the ‘green mark’ (a reference to the Austrian name for Styria, Steiermark). The economic centre is the regional capital, the city of Graz. With over 50 000 students and numerous non-university research institutes, Styria is an important place for education and research.