NATURAL RESOURCES GEOGRAPHY
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SOURCE
CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011
DEFINITION
A country's mineral, petroleum, hydropower, and other resources of commercial importance.
Geography Statistics > Natural resources (most recent) by country
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Countries (A to Z)
Description
Afghanistan
natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones
Albania
petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower
Algeria
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc
American Samoa
pumice, pumicite
Andorra
hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead
Angola
petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium
Anguilla
salt, fish, lobster
Antarctica
iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and other minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small uncommercial quantities; none presently exploited; krill, finfish, and crab have been taken by commercial fisheries
Antigua and Barbuda
NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism
Arctic Ocean
sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales)
Argentina
fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium
Armenia
small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, bauxite
Aruba
NEGL; white sandy beaches
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
fish
Atlantic Ocean
oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales), sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, precious stones
Australia
bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum; note: Australia is the world's largest net exporter of coal accounting for 29% of global coal exports
Austria
oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower
Azerbaijan
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, bauxite
Bahamas, The
salt, aragonite, timber, arable land
Bahrain
oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls
Baker Island
guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife
Bangladesh
natural gas, arable land, timber, coal
Barbados
petroleum, fish, natural gas
Bassas da India
none
Belarus
forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay
Belgium
construction materials, silica sand, carbonates
Belize
arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower
Benin
small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
Bermuda
limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism
Bhutan
timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate
Bolivia
tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower
Bosnia and Herzegovina
coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, forests, hydropower
Botswana
diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver
Bouvet Island
none
Brazil
bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber
British Indian Ocean Territory
coconuts, fish, sugarcane
British Virgin Islands
NEGL
Brunei
petroleum, natural gas, timber
Bulgaria
bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
Burkina Faso
manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, phosphates, pumice, salt
Burma
petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower
Burundi
nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone
Cambodia
oil and gas, timber, gemstones, iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential
Cameroon
petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower
Canada
iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower
Cape Verde
salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum
Cayman Islands
fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism
Central African Republic
diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower
Chad
petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold, limestone, sand and gravel, salt
Chile
copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower
China
coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest)
Christmas Island
phosphate, beaches
Clipperton Island
fish
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
fish
Colombia
petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower
Comoros
NEGL
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber
Congo, Republic of the
petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower
Cook Islands
NEGL
Coral Sea Islands
NEGL
Costa Rica
hydropower
Croatia
oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, gypsum, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower
Cuba
cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land
Cyprus
copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment
Czech Republic
hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber
Côte d'Ivoire
petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower
Denmark
petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel and sand
Djibouti
geothermal areas, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum
Dominica
timber, hydropower, arable land
Dominican Republic
nickel, bauxite, gold, silver
East Timor
gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble
Ecuador
petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower
Egypt
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc
El Salvador
hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land
Equatorial Guinea
petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay
Eritrea
gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish
Estonia
oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud
Ethiopia
small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower
Europa Island
NEGL
European Union
iron ore, natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, lead, zinc, bauxite, uranium, potash, salt, hydropower, arable land, timber, fish
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss
Faroe Islands
fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas
Fiji
timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower
Finland
timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone
French Guiana
bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), petroleum, kaolin, fish, niobium, tantalum, clay
French Polynesia
timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
fish, crayfish; note: Glorioso Islands and Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) have guano, phosphates, and coconuts
Gabon
petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower
Gambia, The
fish, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon, silica sand, clay, petroleum
Gaza Strip
arable land, natural gas
Georgia
forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth
Germany
coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel, uranium, potash, salt, construction materials, timber, arable land
Ghana
gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone
Gibraltar
none
Glorioso Islands
guano, coconuts
Greece
lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential
Greenland
coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, diamonds, gold, platinum, niobium, tantalite, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas
Grenada
timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors
Guadeloupe
cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism
Guam
aquatic wildlife (supporting tourism), fishing (largely undeveloped)
Guatemala
petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower
Guernsey
cropland
Guinea
bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish, salt
Guinea-Bissau
fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum
Guyana
bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish
Haiti
bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
fish
Holy See (Vatican City)
none
Honduras
timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish, hydropower
Hong Kong
outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar
Howland Island
guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife
Hungary
bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land
Iceland
fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite
India
coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land
Indian Ocean
oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules
Indonesia
petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver
Iran
petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur
Iraq
petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur
Ireland
natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone, dolomite
Israel
timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand
Italy
coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice, fluorspar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, arable land
Jamaica
bauxite, gypsum, limestone
Jan Mayen
none
Japan
negligible mineral resources, fish; note: with virtually no energy natural resources, Japan is the world's largest importer of coal and liquefied natural gas as well as the second largest importer of oil
Jarvis Island
guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife
Jersey
arable land
Johnston Atoll
guano deposits worked until depletion about 1890, terrestrial and aquatic wildlife
Jordan
phosphates, potash, shale oil
Juan de Nova Island
guano deposits and other fertilizers
Kazakhstan
major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium
Kenya
limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc, diatomite, gypsum, wildlife, hydropower
Kingman Reef
terrestrial and aquatic wildlife
Kiribati
phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)
Korea, North
coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower
Korea, South
coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential
Kuwait
petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas
Kyrgyzstan
abundant hydropower; significant deposits of gold and rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc
Laos
timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones
Latvia
peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land
Lebanon
limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land
Lesotho
water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone
Liberia
iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower
Libya
petroleum, natural gas, gypsum
Liechtenstein
hydroelectric potential, arable land
Lithuania
peat, arable land, amber
Luxembourg
iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land
Macau
NEGL
Macedonia, Republic of
low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land
Madagascar
graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower
Malawi
limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite
Malaysia
tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
Maldives
fish
Mali
gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, gypsum, granite, hydropower; note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited
Malta
limestone, salt, arable land
Man, Isle of
none
Marshall Islands
coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals
Martinique
coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land
Mauritania
iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish
Mauritius
arable land, fish
Mayotte
NEGL
Mexico
petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber
Micronesia, Federated States of
forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals, phosphate
Midway Islands
wildlife, terrestrial and aquatic
Moldova
lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone
Monaco
none
Mongolia
oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron
Montserrat
NEGL
Morocco
phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt
Mozambique
coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite
Namibia
diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, silver, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, tungsten, zinc, salt, hydropower, fish; note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore
Nauru
phosphates, fish
Navassa Island
guano
Nepal
quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore
Netherlands
natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land
Netherlands Antilles
phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)
New Caledonia
nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper
New Zealand
natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone
Nicaragua
gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish
Niger
uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, molybdenum, gypsum, salt, petroleum
Nigeria
natural gas, petroleum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, arable land
Niue
fish, arable land
Norfolk Island
fish
Northern Mariana Islands
arable land, fish
Norway
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower
Oman
petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas
Pacific Ocean
oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish
Pakistan
land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone
Palau
forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals
Palmyra Atoll
terrestrial and aquatic wildlife
Panama
copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower
Papua New Guinea
gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries
Paracel Islands
none
Paraguay
hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone
Peru
copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas
Philippines
timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper
Pitcairn Islands
miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish; note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been discovered offshore
Poland
coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land
Portugal
fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land, hydropower
Puerto Rico
some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil
Qatar
petroleum, natural gas, fish
Romania
petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower
Russia
wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber; note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder exploitation of natural resources
Rwanda
gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, arable land
Réunion
fish, arable land, hydropower
Saint Barthelemy
has few natural resouces, its beaches being the most important
Saint Helena
fish, lobster
Saint Kitts and Nevis
arable land
Saint Lucia
forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential
Saint Martin
salt
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
fish, deepwater ports
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
hydropower, cropland
Samoa
hardwood forests, fish, hydropower
San Marino
building stone
Saudi Arabia
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper
Senegal
fish, phosphates, iron ore
Serbia and Montenegro
oil, gas, coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, chromite, gold, silver, magnesium, pyrite, limestone, marble, salt, arable land
Seychelles
fish, copra, cinnamon trees
Sierra Leone
diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite
Singapore
fish, deepwater ports
Slovakia
brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land
Slovenia
lignite coal, lead, zinc, building stone, hydropower, forests
Solomon Islands
fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
Somalia
uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves
South Africa
gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
fish
Southern Ocean
probable large and possible giant oil and gas fields on the continental margin; manganese nodules, possible placer deposits, sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs; squid, whales, and seals - none exploited; krill, fish
Spain
coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, tungsten, mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite, kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land
Spratly Islands
fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential
Sri Lanka
limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower
Sudan
petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower
Suriname
timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore
Svalbard
coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish
Swaziland
asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc
Sweden
iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower
Switzerland
hydropower potential, timber, salt
Syria
petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower
São Tomé and Príncipe
fish, hydropower
Taiwan
small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos
Tajikistan
hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold
Tanzania
hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel
Thailand
tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land
Togo
phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land
Tokelau
NEGL
Tonga
fish, fertile soil
Trinidad and Tobago
petroleum, natural gas, asphalt
Tromelin Island
fish
Tunisia
petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt
Turkey
coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite, borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone, magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable land, hydropower
Turkmenistan
petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt
Turks and Caicos Islands
spiny lobster, conch
Tuvalu
fish
Uganda
copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land
Ukraine
iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur, graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber, arable land
United Arab Emirates
petroleum, natural gas
United Kingdom
coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable land
United States
coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber; note: the US has the world's largest coal reserves with 491 billion short tons accounting for 27% of the world's total
Uruguay
arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries
Uzbekistan
natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum
Vanuatu
manganese, hardwood forests, fish
Venezuela
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds
Vietnam
phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and gas deposits, forests, hydropower
Virgin Islands
sun, sand, sea, surf
Wake Island
none
Wallis and Futuna
NEGL
West Bank
arable land
Western Sahara
phosphates, iron ore
Yemen
petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble; small deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper; fertile soil in west
Zambia
copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower
Zimbabwe
coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals
DEFINITION: A country's mineral, petroleum, hydropower, and other resources of commercial importance.
SOURCE: CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011
See also
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CITATION
"Natural resources by country", CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011. Retrieved from http://www.NationMaster.com/graph/geo_nat_res-geography-natural-resources
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