Global Mineral Resources and Agricultural Development
Mineral Resources in Latin America
The main mineral and energy resources in Latin America include:
- Iron
- Metals
- Bauxite
- Copper
- Lead
- Zinc
- Mercury
- Tin
- Gold
- Silver
- Diamonds
- Fertilizers
- Asbestos
- Petroleum
- Natural gas
- Uranium
Industrial Development in Latin America
Brazil, thanks to its exports of manufactures, has become the eighth-largest industrial power in the world. Argentina and Mexico are currently undergoing the same process. However, this development has been hampered by the export of resources, specialization in basic industries and capital goods, state consumer protection from foreign competition, and a heavy dependence on external capital, goods, equipment, and technology.
Agricultural Production in Asia
On the banks and river deltas, agriculture is based on integrated rice cultivation. In areas of subsistence, agriculture is based on slash-and-burn techniques, alongside export-oriented tea and rubber plantations. Beef cattle and buffalo are utilized for both work and milk production.
Mineral and Energy Resources of South Asia
The major mineral and energy resources of South Asia include:
- Iron
- Chromium
- Manganese
- Molybdenum
- Nickel
- Titanium
- Tungsten
- Vanadium
- Copper
- Tin
- Gold
- Coal
- Oil
- Natural gas
- Uranium
Agricultural Activities and Practices
On the Mediterranean coast, fruits and vegetables are cultivated. In the oases and river valleys, farmers practice the cultivation of cereals and vegetables, which only allows for the subsistence of themselves and their families. In newly irrigated areas, important crops have emerged for marketing, such as cotton, reed, tobacco, or the palm, utilizing machinery and chemical fertilizers. In the desert, nomadic livestock of camels, goats, and sheep predominates, though it is declining due to the increasing sedentarization of the nomadic population.
Resources and Industrial Activity in North Africa
Major mineral and energy resources: Chromium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, titanium, vanadium, lead, zinc, magnesium, mercury, coal, oil, and natural gas.
Industrial activity: The northern oil-producing countries have developed a high-technology industrial sector. Additionally, North African countries have developed traditional food and textile industries, as well as mineral extraction.
Resources and Economy of Sub-Saharan Africa
In Sub-Saharan Africa, dominant small farms using backward farming techniques practice the polyculture of yams, cassava, or millet for subsistence. On the coast, there are large plantations that utilize high technology to specialize in monocultures of peanuts, cocoa, coffee, bananas, pineapples, and rubber trees for export.
The service sector is mostly informal. Transport infrastructure is scarce and limited to connecting exporting ports with mining or agricultural areas. Foreign trade is highly dependent, based on the export of mineral raw materials, energy, and agricultural products, and the import of manufactured goods and food.