Cameroon’s natural resources are a major driver of its economy. Minerals include bauxite and kyanite in Minim-Martap and Ngaoundéré, cobalt in Nkamouna, iron ore in Kribi, and gold in the east. Petroleum, found in the 1950s and produced since 1977, is still the main export, which has made up around half of export earnings, even…
Burundi, a landlocked country in East Africa, has vast untapped natural resources. It has large mineral deposits, including an estimated 180 million tons of nickel, along with uranium, gold, rare earth oxides, and 600 million tons of peat. About 42.8% of its land is arable, making agriculture the main economic activity. Forests span roughly 279,640…
Botswana, a landlocked country in Southern Africa, is rich in natural resources. Diamonds are the backbone of its economy, making up about 40% of its GDP and 85% of export earnings. Jwaneng and Orapa, two of the world’s largest diamond mines, are in Botswana. The country also has copper and nickel deposits, mainly mined in…
Angola has rich natural resources, mainly oil and diamonds. It’s the second-largest oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa. The country has 9 billion barrels of proven oil and 11 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. It produces about 1.16 million barrels of oil daily, 75% from offshore fields. Angola is also the fourth-largest diamond producer in…
Algeria, rich in natural resources, is Africa’s top natural gas producer and the third-largest oil producer. The country has 159 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of proven natural gas reserves, mostly in the Hassi R’Mel field, discovered in 1956. It also holds 3.9 billion barrels of oil reserves in Hassi Messaoud. Algeria ranks third globally in…
Ethiopia, in the Horn of Africa, has a variety of landscapes, like plateaus, mountains, and rivers such as the Blue Nile. It also has valuable natural resources, including gold, platinum, tantalum, potash, and copper. The Ogaden Basin has one of Africa’s largest natural gas reserves, with around seven trillion cubic feet still untapped. The country…
Eswatini is a landlocked kingdom in Southern Africa, rich in natural resources that contribute significantly to its economy. The country sits on the Kaapvaal Craton, one of the oldest and most intact continental crusts in the world, dating back 3.6 billion years. This geological base contains valuable minerals like diamonds, coal, gold, kaolin, silica sand,…
Eritrea, the country with the second highest number of archaeological and historical discoveries in Africa, after Egypt, with over 80,000 sites, has abundant natural resources like gold, copper, potash, zinc, salt, and possibly oil and gas. Most of its mineral wealth is in the Arabian-Nubian Shield, covering 70% of the country. Major projects such as…
Equatorial Guinea, the third-largest oil producer in Sub-Saharan Africa, is rich in natural resources that have driven its economic growth. It has around 1.3 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves, mainly offshore near the Bioko Island, Zafiro, and Alba fields. The country also has 62% forest cover, with timber production concentrated in Río…
Egypt has various natural resources that are essential to its economy. Its petroleum reserves are notable, though much has been used up. In 2005, proven oil reserves stood at 3.7 billion barrels. Natural gas is a key resource, with reserves reaching 2,209 billion cubic meters in 2023. The Zohr field, discovered in 2015, is significant…
