(a) What are natural resources?
(b) Identify any three contributions of forest resources to the economic development of your country.
(c) Describe any three negative effects of the exploitation of mineral resources.
Explanation
(a) Natural resources are the material and non-material resources provided by nature
(b) Contributions of forest resources to the economic development of your country.
(i) Forest resources such as timber products provide raw materials for the local industries e.g. furniture industry.
(ii) Forest resources provide herbs for pharmaceutical and herbal industries and clinics. They contribute positively to the health of the people.
(iii) Exportation of forest resources provide government with foreign exchange e.g. export of timber.
(iv) It helps various levels of government to generate revenue from taxes imposed on products and firms involved in the exploitation of forest resources.
(v) Grasslands provide food for livestock which serves as food for man.
(vi) Forest resources provide habitation for wild life and also help to promote tourism e.g. Yankari game reserve in Nigeria etc.
(vii) Forest resources serve as a source of food for people.
(viii) Forest resources provide employment and income for farmers, hunters, etc.
(ix) Forest resources serve as source of energy e.g. charcoal and firewood.
(c) Negative effects of the exploitation of mineral resources.
(i) Neglect of agriculture because of huge foreign exchange earning capacity of the sector which results in increased food import bills.
(ii) Rural-urban drift occasioned by the neglect of agriculture leads to urban congestion and social vices associated with it.
(iii) Huge revenue earnings from the sector fuels inflation. This is because of the neglect of other productive activities especially the manufacturing sector.
(iv) Environmental pollution caused by oil spillage and other chemicals have endangered the lives of the people, plants and animals in many ways.
(v) Social and political unrests in the areas where mineral exploitation takes place have disrupted peace, economic activities and affected governments.
(vi) Economic recession has been witnessed in many oil-producing countries because of oil glut, falling crude oil prices, lack of savings during oil boom and rising unemployment, etc.
(vii) Displacement of communities due to mining activities.
(viii) Illegal mining deprives government of the needed revenue for development.