Top 10 Countries With the Least Natural Resources in the World

Natural resources in any country are the determining determinants of their wealth and economic development. In this selection the 10 countries with less natural resources of the world are highlighted. But when it comes to the country’s natural resources, many do not guarantee their progress and economic growth, because some like Liberia and Sierra Leone are rich in natural resources, but they are among the world’s poorest countries , Singapore and Hong Kong countries with few resources have a robust economy. Thus dependence on natural resources must exist, but not total dependence. Source: cancermatters.net

10. GIBRALTAR

Gibraltar is a small country and also poor in nature reserves. And it has no significant reservation in relation to nature reserves, however, a small amount of sand and limestone can be found here.

9. SINGAPORE

Despite being one of the world’s highest cost living countries , Singapore has a small amount of nature reserves. Deep-water oil resources have been mined and exported. But the country earns more of the technological tools and computers. Water is used to produce electricity, but Singapore still buys its drinking water from other countries.

8. JAN MAYEN

Jan Mayen is small island with almost no exploitable nature reserves. The country has all traces of minerals and other metals with few reserves of oil. It is possible to affirm that this country does not have much, except by the water resources.

7. HONG KONG

Hong Kong is the country with few natural reserves. However, it still has some limited natural resources in the country, including metalliferous minerals. And also has the industrial minerals, minerals on the coast of the sea in small quantity. And it possesses the non expressive amount of extracted stone and stones of construction, and some deposits of sand.

6. JAPAN

Japan is the fastest growing industrial country and therefore its mechanical products are exported all over the world. It has a high standard of living because it is developed, but it is poor in the sense of natural resources that are very limited. And it lacks full oil reserves. Nor does it have enough hydropower and water resources. Japan still lacks metallic resources.

5. TAIWAN

Taiwan compared with other countries in this selection presents some deposits of limestone, water capacity, and other resources of commercial value. But it still has insufficiency in relation to natural reserves.

4. BELGIUM

Belgium is also a country not endowed with many natural resources, but nevertheless, it is well developed. The main factor that the country exports is the building material, cement, sand, and some of the carbonates. The country also has small amounts of oil, hydro, and other small reserves of commercial value.

3. SWITZERLAND

The natural and mineral resources of Switzerland are very limited, being the same third position in this selection of the 10 countries with less natural resources of the world. There are, however, small iron reserves, but the country is unproductive in relation to oil and gas reserves. A wide variety of gravel and clay salt, and marble reserves are available in Switzerland, but not in large quantity. Around two-thirds of the territory of Switzerland is covered by mountains, lakes and forests. Since the nation has no mineral resources, it must import, process and dispose of the needs of citizens in trade. Of the three sectors that make up the country’s economic activity, the tertiary sector is characterized as the most important, which includes banking, tourism and insurers. Agriculture is also essential, but it is not enough for the entire needs of the population, with an obligation to import.

2. COSTA RICA

This country is green with agricultural economy that has flourishing flow by the tourism industry. The few natural resources in Costa Rica have an influence on the economy, but the country has survived with its tourist industry and production and export of bananas, pineapples, coffee, etc, but it has no reserves of metal, oil, and gas.

1. VATICAN

Vatican City is the country with the least natural resources, standing out in the leading position in this selection of the 10 countries with the lowest natural resources in the world. The country has almost no natural resources at all. And it suffers from a total shortage of coal reserves. The state’s natural gas and oil reserves are also zero. Thus, Vatican City does not even have precious metals, and reserves of gold or silver, the country is extremely unproductive. It is the seat of the Catholic Church, and also sovereign city-state, not presenting sea coast, and its territory is characterized of walled enclave, inside the city of Rome, Italy. They are around 44 hectares, and population of a little more than 800 inhabitants, being the smallest territorial entity of the planet, with administration by the State.

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