| Field Listing :: Natural resources |
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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. |
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Country |
Natural resources |
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| Afghanistan
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natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones
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| Albania
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petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower
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| Algeria
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petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc
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| Andorra
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hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead
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| Angola
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petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium
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| Antarctica
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iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and other minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small noncommercial quantities; none presently exploited; krill, finfish, and crab have been taken by commercial fisheries
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| Arctic Ocean
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sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales)
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| Argentina
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fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium
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| Armenia
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small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, bauxite
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| Aruba
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NEGL; white sandy beaches
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| Atlantic Ocean
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oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales), sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, precious stones
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| Australia
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bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, rare earth elements, 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
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| Austria
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oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower
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| Azerbaijan
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petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, bauxite
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| Bahrain
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oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls
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| Belarus
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timber, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay
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| Belgium
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construction materials, silica sand, carbonates
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| Belize
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arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower
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| Benin
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small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
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| Bermuda
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limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism
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| Bhutan
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timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate
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| Bolivia
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tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower
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| Bosnia and Herzegovina
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coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, timber, hydropower
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| Botswana
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diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver
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| Brazil
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bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, rare earth elements, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber
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| Brunei
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petroleum, natural gas, timber
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| Bulgaria
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bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
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| Burkina Faso
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manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, phosphates, pumice, salt
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| Burma
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petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower
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| Burundi
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nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone
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| Cabo Verde
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salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum
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| Cambodia
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oil and gas, timber, gemstones, iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential
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| Cameroon
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petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower
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| Canada
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iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, rare earth elements, molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower
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| Chad
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petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold, limestone, sand and gravel, salt
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| Chile
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copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower
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| China
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coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, rare earth elements, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest)
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| Colombia
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petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower
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| Congo, Democratic Republic of the
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cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber
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| Congo, Republic of the
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petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower
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| Cote d'Ivoire
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petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower
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| Croatia
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oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, gypsum, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower
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| Cuba
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cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land
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| Curacao
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calcium phosphates, aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
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| Cyprus
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copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment
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| Denmark
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petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel and sand
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| Djibouti
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potential geothermal power, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum
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| Dominica
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timber, hydropower, arable land
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| Ecuador
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petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower
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| Egypt
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petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, rare earth elements, zinc
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| El Salvador
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hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land
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| Equatorial Guinea
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petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay
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| Eritrea
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gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish
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| Estonia
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oil shale, peat, rare earth elements, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud
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| Ethiopia
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small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower
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| European Union
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iron ore, natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, lead, zinc, bauxite, uranium, potash, salt, hydropower, arable land, timber, fish
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| Fiji
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timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower
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| Finland
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timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone
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| France
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metropolitan France: coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorspar, gypsum, timber, fish
French Guiana: gold deposits, petroleum, kaolin, niobium, tantalum, clay
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| Gabon
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petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower
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| Gambia, The
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fish, clay, silica sand, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon
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| Georgia
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timber, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth
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| Germany
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coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel, uranium, potash, salt, construction materials, timber, arable land
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| Ghana
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gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone
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| Greece
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lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential
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| Greenland
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coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, diamonds, gold, platinum, niobium, tantalite, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas
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| Grenada
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timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors
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| Guam
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aquatic wildlife (supporting tourism), fishing (largely undeveloped)
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| Guatemala
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petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower
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| Guinea
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bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish, salt
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| Guinea-Bissau
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fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum
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| Guyana
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bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish
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| Haiti
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bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower
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| Honduras
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timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish, hydropower
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| Hong Kong
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outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar
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| Howland Island
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guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife
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| Hungary
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bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land
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| Iceland
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fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite
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| India
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coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, rare earth elements, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land
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| Indian Ocean
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oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules
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| Indonesia
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petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver
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| Iran
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petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur
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| Iraq
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petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur
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| Ireland
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natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone, dolomite
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| Israel
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timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand
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| Italy
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coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice, fluorspar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, arable land
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| Japan
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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
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| Jarvis Island
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guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife
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| Johnston Atoll
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guano deposits (worked until depletion about 1890), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife
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| Jordan
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phosphates, potash, shale oil
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| Kazakhstan
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major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium
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| Kenya
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limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc, diatomite, gypsum, wildlife, hydropower
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| Kiribati
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phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)
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| Korea, North
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coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower
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| Korea, South
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coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential
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| Kosovo
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nickel, lead, zinc, magnesium, lignite, kaolin, chrome, bauxite
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| Kuwait
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petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas
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| Kyrgyzstan
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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
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| Laos
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timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones
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| Latvia
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peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, timber, arable land
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| Lebanon
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limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land
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| Lesotho
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water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone
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| Liberia
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iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower
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| Libya
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petroleum, natural gas, gypsum
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| Luxembourg
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iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land
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| Macedonia
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low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land
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| Madagascar
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graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, rare earth elements, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower
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| Malawi
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limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite
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| Malaysia
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tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
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| Mali
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gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, gypsum, granite, hydropower
note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited
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| Malta
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limestone, salt, arable land
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| Mauritania
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iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish
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| Mexico
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petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber
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| Moldova
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lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone
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| Mongolia
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oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron
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| Morocco
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phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt
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| Mozambique
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coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite
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| Namibia
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diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, silver, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, tungsten, zinc, salt, hydropower, fish
note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore
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| Nepal
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quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore
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| Netherlands
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natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land
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| New Caledonia
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nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper
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| New Zealand
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natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone
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| Nicaragua
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gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish
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| Niger
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uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, molybdenum, gypsum, salt, petroleum
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| Nigeria
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natural gas, petroleum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, arable land
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| Norway
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petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower
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| Oman
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petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas
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| Pacific Ocean
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oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish
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| Pakistan
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land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone
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| Palau
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forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals
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| Panama
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copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower
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| Paraguay
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hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone
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| Peru
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copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas
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| Philippines
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timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper
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| Pitcairn Islands
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miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish
note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been discovered offshore
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| Poland
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coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land
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| Portugal
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fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land, hydropower
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| Puerto Rico
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some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil
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| Qatar
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petroleum, natural gas, fish
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| Romania
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petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower
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| Russia
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wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, reserves of rare earth elements, timber
note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder exploitation of natural resources
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| Rwanda
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gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, arable land
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| Saint Barthelemy
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has few natural resources, its beaches being the most important
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| Saint Lucia
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forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential
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| Samoa
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hardwood forests, fish, hydropower
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| Serbia
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oil, gas, coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, chromite, gold, silver, magnesium, pyrite, limestone, marble, salt, arable land
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| Sierra Leone
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diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite
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| Slovakia
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brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land
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| Slovenia
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lignite coal, lead, zinc, building stone, hydropower, forests
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| Solomon Islands
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fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
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| Somalia
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uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves
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| South Africa
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gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, rare earth elements, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
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| South Sudan
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hydropower, fertile agricultural land, gold, diamonds, petroleum, hardwoods, limestone, iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver
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| Southern Ocean
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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
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| Spain
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coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, tungsten, mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite, kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land
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| Sri Lanka
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limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower
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| Sudan
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petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold; hydropower
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| Suriname
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timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore
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| Svalbard
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coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish
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| Swaziland
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asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc
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| Sweden
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iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower
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| Syria
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petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower
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| Taiwan
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small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos
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| Tajikistan
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hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold
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| Tanzania
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hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel
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| Thailand
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tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land
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| Timor-Leste
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gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble
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| Togo
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phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land
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| Tunisia
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petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt
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| Turkey
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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
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| Uganda
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copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land, gold
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| Ukraine
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iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur, graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber, arable land
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| United Kingdom
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coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable land
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| United States
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coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, rare earth elements, 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
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| Uruguay
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arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fish
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| Uzbekistan
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natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum
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| Vanuatu
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manganese, hardwood forests, fish
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| Venezuela
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petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds
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| Vietnam
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phosphates, coal, manganese, rare earth elements, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and gas deposits, timber, hydropower
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| World
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the rapid depletion of nonrenewable mineral resources, the depletion of forest areas and wetlands, the extinction of animal and plant species, and the deterioration in air and water quality (especially in some countries of Eastern Europe, the former USSR, and China) pose serious long-term problems that governments and peoples are only beginning to address
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| Yemen
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petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble; small deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper; fertile soil in west
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| Zambia
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copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower
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| Zimbabwe
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coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals
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Central Intelligence Agency
