Natural Resources
Definition
Natural resources are materials or substances such as minerals, forests, water, and fertile land that occur in nature and can be used for economic gain.
Analogy
Think of natural resources like the ingredients in a recipe. Just like you need flour, sugar, and eggs to bake a cake, countries need natural resources like coal, oil, and timber to fuel their economies.
Related terms
Renewable Resources: These are natural resources that can be replenished naturally over time - for example sunlight or wind.
Non-renewable Resources: These are resources that do not renew themselves at a sufficient rate for sustainable economic extraction in meaningful human timeframes - for example fossil fuels like coal and oil.
Conservation: This is the practice of managing the use of resources wisely so they will not be depleted.
"Natural Resources" appears in:
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