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not be a resource if its use has not been found, but
have received from the nature. These include land,
if it is revealed that it has some medicinal value, water, soil, vegetation, animals, minerals, air etc.
then it becomes a resource. So, the bounties of
nature can become a resource when the Human Resources
inhabitants of that region have acquired necessary Humans are the most essential resource of the
knowledge and skill to use them for fulfilling their world. It is their capability and skills which
different needs. We can describe a resource as provide value to resources. Human resources
those articles found in the nature which can help include abilities (both physical and mental) and
to fulfil human requirements. numbers (quantity). The world has made a great

Human needs are not alike at all places and at all effort to study the development of human
times. They vary not only from place to place, but resources due to increase in competence and
also from time to time. Human needs, in reality, education. It is only human beings who are
depend on different factors, such as natural capable of transforming the available materials
environment and development in social, cultural into valuable resources.
and technological aspects. For example, Early For example, coal has
Man was not able to use most of the resources, been present in the
but with time he learnt to use them, and those earth, but it was made a
things became a resource. Similarly, mineral resource when man
deposits in the continent of North America were developed the methods
valueless for the natives as they did not know how of utilising it for
to use them. When the Europeans went there, different purposes. An industry with manpower
they explored and developed the mineral Man-made Resources
deposits, so these became a resource.
Human beings have created many things out of
Coal and mineral oil have been present below the natural resources, such as buildings, machines,
surface of the earth since time immemorial, but vehicles, synthetic materials etc. These form a part
they became a resource only when man of man-made resources.
developed technology to use them. New scientific
discoveries and inventions have led to the use of It is necessary to seek the interrelated contribution
of these three resources in order to make a nation
petrol, gas and their byproducts in many ways.
Methods of production can vary not only due to great and prosperous. However, human resources
climate, soil or availability of raw materials, but are the most important resources as they
contribute the most significant part in the
also due to the quantity, stage of development,
technological advancement, in addition to cultural development and prosperity of a country; for
and social characteristics of the people who example, Japan does not have many natural
resources, but its human resources are excellent
inhabit the region.
which have made this country a developed one.
TYPES OF RESOURCES
Just Think!
Resources can be divided in various ways
depending upon different factors, such as origin, How can a natural resource become a man-made
renewability, utility or state of development etc. resource?

Classification Based on Origin Classification Based on Renewability
On the basis of origin, resources can be divided Some resources can regenerate themselves, such
into three major groups : as plants and animals; and some cannot, such as

Natural Resources minerals. On this basis, the resources can be
classified as renewable and non-renewable
Natural resources are those resources which we
resources.
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