Comoros, a volcanic archipelago in the Indian Ocean, is known for its natural resources, especially agricultural exports. It’s one of the top global producers of ylang-ylang, which made up 9% of exports in 2022. Agriculture drives the economy, with vanilla and cloves making up 75% of export earnings. Within its 390,000-square-kilometer Exclusive Economic Zone, Comoros…
Chad is a landlocked country in Central Africa, with deserts in the north, savannahs in the south, and Lake Chad in the west. It has many natural resources, with oil being the top resource since production began in 2003, mostly from the southern Doha Basin. The country also has gold in the southwest and natron…
Madagascar, the world’s fifth-largest island, hosts 95% of its reptiles, 89% of plant species, and 92% of mammals. Also, the country has rich natural resources: gold, manganese, fertile land, forests, and fisheries. Agriculture makes up around 24% of the GDP and employs 80% of the population, mainly through rice and vanilla. Forests and fisheries also…
Libya has abundant natural resources, mainly oil and natural gas. Oil reserves comprise 3% of the world’s total and are found in the Sirte, Murzuq, and Ghadames basins. The country also has 53 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, mainly in the Ghadames basin. Other resources include gypsum (9.2 million tons), iron ore (5 billion…
Lesotho, a landlocked country in Southern Africa, has rich natural resources that boost its economy. Water is the most valuable, earning it the nickname “Water Tower of Southern Africa.” The Lesotho Highlands Water Project exports water to South Africa, bringing in over $800 million since 1996 and making up 10% of the GDP. Hydropower plants…
Kenya, with a population of over 47.6 million, has a wealth of natural resources that contribute to its economy and global value. Spanning 581,309 square kilometers, it features varied ecosystems like forests, wetlands, and marine areas. Major resources include soda ash, which made up 4% of global output in 2010, along with limestone, fluorspar, gemstones,…
Gabon, located on the west coast of Central Africa, is rich in natural resources and dense forests, which cover about 85% of its land. The country is a top producer of manganese, accounting for nearly 25% of global trade in the mineral, with reserves of over 21 million metric tons. Gabon’s oil sector contributes around…
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…
