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Natural Resources
The resources that exist without any intervention of humans and are present in abundance in our surroundings
are called natural resources. These are air, water, land, plants, trees, sunlight, etc. Living organisms are dependent
on these resources for their existence. The resources which are developed by human beings during the growth of
civilisation are called artificial resources. For example, biogas, thermal efficiency, plastics etc. There are four types
of natural resources:
Natural Resources
Renewable Non-Renewable Exhaustible Inexhaustible
Water Sunlight LPG Mineral Petrol Coal Air Sunlight
• Renewable: Resources which occur in abundance and are renewed on their own by our mother nature through
the natural process of recycling, replacement, and reproduction are called renewable resources. For example,
forest, wind, water, sunlight, geothermal (energy from the heat inside the earth).
• Non-Renewable: Resources that are limited and cannot be replaced at the same speed at which they are used
up are called non-renewable resources. It takes millions of years to form inside the earth. For example, fossil
fuels, minerals, natural gases, nuclear energy, etc. Non-renewable resources can be called inorganic resources if
they come from non living things. For example, minerals, LPG and rocks.
• Exhaustible: Resources which are present in limited quantity and will deplete after a few hundred years due to
their over consumption by human activities. For example, coal, petrol, natural gas, water, etc.
• Inexhaustible: Resources which are present in abundance and cannot be exhausted even by their over
consumption are called inexhaustible resources. For example, wind, solar energy, etc.
Natural resources come in many forms. It may be a solid, liquid, or gas. It may also be organic or inorganic. It may
also be metallic or non-metallic.
Natural Resources
Forest Resources Water Resources Mineral Resources Land Resources
Energy Resources Food Resources
• Land Resources: Human beings use land as a resource for production as well as residence and recreation. It
is a finite resource subject to both agricultural and non-agricultural uses, such as infrastructure development.
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