Natural resources

This entry lists a country's mineral, petroleum, hydropower, and other resources of commercial importance, such as rare earth elements (REEs). In general, products appear only if they make a significant contribution to the economy, or are likely to do so in the future.

Afghanistan

natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones, arable land

Albania

petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower, arable land

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 noncommercial quantities; mineral exploitation except for scientific research is banned by the Environmental Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty; krill, icefish, toothfish, and crab have been taken by commercial fisheries, which are managed through the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR)

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, arable land

Armenia

small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, bauxite

Aruba

NEGL; white sandy beaches foster tourism

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

alumina, coal, iron ore, copper, lithium, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, rare earth elements, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, opals, natural gas, petroleum

note 1: Australia is the world's largest net exporter of coal accounting for 26.5% of global coal exports in 2021; coal is the country’s most abundant energy resource, and coal ranks as the second-largest export commodity from Australia in terms of revenue; in 2020, Australia held the third-largest recoverable coal reserves in the world behind the United States and Russia

note 2: Australia is by far the world's largest supplier of opals

note 3: Australia holds the largest uranium reserves in the world and was the second-largest global uranium producer behind Kazakhstan in 2020

note 4: Australia was the largest exporter of LNG in the world in 2020

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

Bangladesh

natural gas, arable land, timber, coal

Barbados

petroleum, fish, natural gas

Belarus

timber, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay

Belgium

construction materials, silica sand, carbonates, arable land

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

lithium, tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower

Bosnia and Herzegovina

coal, iron ore, antimony, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, timber, hydropower

Botswana

diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver

Bouvet Island

none

Brazil

alumina, bauxite, beryllium, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, niobium, phosphates, platinum, tantalum, tin, rare earth elements, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber

British Indian Ocean Territory

coconuts, fish, sugarcane

British Virgin Islands

NEGL; pleasant climate, beaches foster tourism

Brunei

petroleum, natural gas, timber

Bulgaria

bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land

Burkina Faso

gold, manganese, zinc, limestone, marble, phosphates, pumice, salt

Burma

petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower, arable land

Burundi

nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone

Cabo Verde

salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum

Cambodia

oil and gas, timber, gemstones, iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential, arable land

Cameroon

petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower

Canada

bauxite, iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, uranium, rare earth elements, molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower

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, helium, petroleum, natural gas, arsenic, bismuth, cobalt, cadmium, ferrosilicon, gallium, germanium, hafnium, indium, lithium, mercury, tantalum, tellurium, tin, titanium, tungsten, antimony, manganese, magnesium, molybdenum, selenium, strontium, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, rare earth elements, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest), arable land

Christmas Island

phosphate, beaches

Clipperton Island

fish

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

fish

Colombia

petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower

Comoros

fish

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber

note 1: coltan, the industrial name for a columbite–tantalite mineral from which niobium and tantalum are extracted, is mainly artisanal and small-scale; tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold extracted from central Africa are considered "conflict minerals" and as such are subject to international monitoring

note 2: the DROC is the World's leading producer of cobalt, accounting for as much as 70% of the World's supply; between 20-30% of this cobalt is produced in artisanal and small-scale mining operations

Congo, Republic of the

petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower

Cook Islands

coconuts (copra)

Coral Sea Islands

fish

Costa Rica

hydropower

Cote d'Ivoire

petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, 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

Curacao

calcium phosphates, protected harbors, hot springs

Cyprus

copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment

Czechia

hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber, arable land

Denmark

petroleum, natural gas, fish, arable land, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel and sand

Djibouti

potential geothermal power, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum

Dominica

timber, hydropower, arable land

Dominican Republic

nickel, bauxite, gold, silver, arable land

Ecuador

petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Egypt

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, rare earth elements, 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, rare earth elements, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud

Eswatini

asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc

Ethiopia

small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower

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

France

metropolitan France: coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorspar, gypsum, timber, arable land, fish; French Guiana: gold deposits, petroleum, kaolin, 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

note: in the 1950's and 1960's, several species of trout were introduced to Iles Kerguelen of which two, brown trout and brook trout, survived to establish wild populations; reindeer were also introduced to Iles Kerguelen in 1956 as a source of fresh meat for whaling crews -- the herd today, one of two in the Southern Hemisphere, is estimated to number around 4,000

Gabon

petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower

Gambia, The

fish, clay, silica sand, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon

Gaza Strip

arable land, natural gas

Georgia

timber, 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

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

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, arable land

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

Hungary

bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land

Iceland

fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

India

coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), antimony, iron ore, lead, manganese, mica, bauxite, rare earth elements, 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

note: Indonesia is the World's leading producer of nickel with an output of 1.6 million mt in 2022

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

Isle of Man

none

Israel

timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand

Italy

coal, antimony, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice, fluorspar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, arable land

Jamaica

bauxite, alumina, gypsum, limestone

Jan Mayen

none

Japan

negligible mineral resources, fish

note: with virtually no natural energy resources, Japan is almost totally dependent on imported sources of energy

Jersey

arable land

Jordan

phosphates, potash, shale oil

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

Kiribati

phosphate (production discontinued in 1979), coconuts (copra), fish

Korea, North

coal, iron ore, limestone, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, precious metals, hydropower

Korea, South

coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential

Kosovo

nickel, lead, zinc, magnesium, lignite, kaolin, chrome, bauxite

Kuwait

petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

Kyrgyzstan

abundant hydropower; gold, 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, timber, 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

Madagascar

graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, rare earth elements, 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

Marshall Islands

coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals

Mauritania

iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish

Mauritius

arable land, fish

Mexico

petroleum, silver, antimony, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber

Micronesia, Federated States of

timber, marine products, deep-seabed minerals, phosphate

Moldova

lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, limestone, arable land

Monaco

none

Mongolia

oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron

Montenegro

bauxite, hydroelectricity

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 (mining discontinued in 1898)

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

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

arable land, fish

Norfolk Island

fish

North Macedonia

low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land

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

arable 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

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, fish, natural gas

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, bauxite, reserves of rare earth elements, 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

Saint Barthelemy

few natural resources; beaches foster tourism

Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha

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, arable land

Samoa

hardwood forests, fish, hydropower

San Marino

building stone

Sao Tome and Principe

fish, hydropower

Saudi Arabia

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

Senegal

fish, phosphates, iron ore

Serbia

oil, gas, coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, chromite, gold, silver, magnesium, pyrite, limestone, marble, salt, arable land

Seychelles

fish, coconuts (copra), cinnamon trees

Sierra Leone

diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite

Singapore

fish, deepwater ports

Sint Maarten

fish, salt

Slovakia

lignite, small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land

Slovenia

lignite, 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, rare earth elements, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas

note: South Africa was the World's leading chromite ore producer in 2022 with an output of 18,000 mt

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands

fish

South Sudan

hydropower, fertile agricultural land, gold, diamonds, petroleum, hardwoods, limestone, iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver

Southern Ocean

probable large oil and gas fields on the continental margin; manganese nodules, possible placer deposits, sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs; 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, arable land

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

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

Taiwan

small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, asbestos, arable land

Tajikistan

hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold

Tanzania

hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones (including tanzanite, found only in Tanzania), gold, natural gas, nickel

Thailand

tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land

Timor-Leste

gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble

Togo

phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land

Tokelau

fish

Tonga

arable land, fish

Trinidad and Tobago

petroleum, natural gas, asphalt

Tunisia

petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt

Turkey (Turkiye)

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, coconut (copra)

Uganda

copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land, gold

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, rare earth elements, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber, arable land

note: the US has the world's largest coal reserves with 491 billion short tons accounting for 27% of the world's total