natural resource

This term refers to materials provided by the environment that humans can extract and use for economic benefit. It encompasses a wide range of assets, from renewable sources like timber and water to non-renewable minerals and fossil fuels. The term is most frequently used in economic, political, and environmental discourses to discuss national wealth, sustainability, and geopolitical power.

In a professional or academic context, the term often appears in discussions regarding the "resource curse," where countries with an abundance of natural resources experience stagnant economic growth. It is distinct from "natural capital," which is a broader ecological term including the ecosystem services provided by nature, regardless of their immediate market value.