As of 2021, Russia held natural resources amounting to an estimated total value of 75 trillion U.S. dollars. This figure includes the value of Russia’s many valuable natural resources, which includes coal, oil, natural gas, gold, timber, and rare earth metals, among others.

Natural Resources

Natural resources can be defined as resources that occur naturally and exist independently from the actions of humans. They are commonly categorized in biotic and abiotic resources, where biotic refers to living and organic materials (such as plants), and abiotic resources to refers to non-living materials (such as minerals). Furthermore, natural resources can be divided into the categories of renewable and non-renewable. Renewable resources such as wind, sunlight, and forests are not permanently depleted when we consume or utilize them. Conversely, non-renewable resources are available in finite quantities and can be permanently depleted because of this. Among the most prominently known non-renewable resources on Earth are fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, and petroleum, usually exploited by humankind to generate energy.

Natural resources and sustainability

The value of natural resources is often determined by their scarcity and by their value for our modern economies. In the consumption-oriented, globalized world, industries need to balance meeting consumer demands and guaranteeing business growth while not over-exploiting and consequently depleting the natural resources of our planet. With natural resources having such high economic value and demand, in addition to the fact that many countries in the world have heavily resource-based economies, the socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable management of these resources is often an afterthought, if its considered at all. This issue is increasingly causing environmental issues, however, and more attention is now being paid by national governments and international environmental watch groups, as a result.

Natural resources in the United States

With a total natural resource value of 45 trillion U.S. dollars, the U.S. is the second leading country worldwide based on natural resource value after Russia. Among the main contributors to the United States’ natural resource value are coal, timber, natural gas, gold, and copper. These industries have strong historic significance for the United States. The U.S. lumber industry, for example, originated during the colonial era, when importing timber from the United States saved people in the U.K. from cold winters. Nowadays, U.S. timber is mostly used for the production of pulp and paper, as well as furniture. The U.S. also has the largest proven coal reserves worldwide as of 2019. In 2020, the U.S. also accounted for 6.7 percent of global coal production, which made the country the fifth-largest coal producer in the world.

The value added to gross domestic product by the manufacturing sector in Argentina declined to 79.79 billion U.S. dollars in 2023. Nevertheless, the last two years recorded a significantly higher value added than the preceding years.These figures refer to the total value of output from manufacturing industries. Constant figures have been used to negate the impact of monetary inflation, asset devaluation, and resource depletion, allowing more accurate comparisons between years.Find more statistics on other topics about Argentina with key insights such as value added by the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector to the gross domestic product, national gross income per capita, and personal remittances received.

The gross domestic product per capita adjusted by purchasing power parity in Belgium saw no significant changes in 2023 in comparison to the previous year 2022 and remained at around 63,572.49 U.S. dollars. Still, the gross domestic product reached its highest value in the observed period in 2023. Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita is the total value of goods and services produced in a given country, divided by the total midyear population of the country. Using constant international dollars based on purchasing power parity (PPP) allows figures to be compared without the impacts of financial inflation, value depreciation, and resource depletion.Find more key insights for the gross domestic product per capita adjusted by purchasing power parity in countries like Netherlands and Luxembourg.

In 2023, the gross domestic product per capita adjusted by purchasing power parity in Luxembourg decreased by 4,645 U.S. dollars (-3.39 percent) compared to 2022. Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita is the total value of goods and services produced in a given country, divided by the total midyear population of the country. Using constant international dollars based on purchasing power parity (PPP) allows figures to be compared without the impacts of financial inflation, value depreciation, and resource depletion.Find more key insights for the gross domestic product per capita adjusted by purchasing power parity in countries like Belgium and Netherlands.