Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Wiktionary
n. Any source of wealth that occurs naturally, especially minerals, fossil fuels, timber, etc.
WordNet
n. resources (actual and potential) supplied by nature [syn: natural resources]
Wikipedia
Natural resources are resources that exist without the actions of humankind. This includes all valued characteristics such as magnetic, gravitational, and electrical properties and forces. On earth we include sunlight, atmosphere, water, land, air (includes all minerals) along with all vegetation and animal life that naturally subsists upon or within the heretofore identified characteristics and substances.
Particular areas such as the rainforest in Fatu-Hiva are often characterized by the biodiversity and geodiversity existent in their ecosystems. Natural resources may be further classified in different ways. Natural resources are materials and components (something that can be used) that can be found within the environment. Every man-made product is composed of natural resources (at its fundamental level). A natural resource may exist as a separate entity such as fresh water, and air, as well as a living organism such as a fish, or it may exist in an alternate form which must be processed to obtain the resource such as metal ores, petroleum, and most forms of energy.
There is much debate worldwide over natural resource allocations, this is particularly true during periods of increasing scarcity and shortages ( depletion and overconsumption of resources) but also because the exportation of natural resources is the basis for many economies (particularly for developed countries).
Some natural resources such as sunlight and air can be found everywhere, and are known as ubiquitous resources. However, most resources only occur in small sporadic areas, and are referred to as localized resources. There are very few resources that are considered inexhaustible (will not run out in foreseeable future) – these are solar radiation, geothermal energy, and air (though access to clean air may not be). The vast majority of resources are theoretically exhaustible, which means they have a finite quantity and can be depleted if managed improperly..
Usage examples of "natural resource".
As always, when the significance of the natural resource is misunderstood, any land settlement must end in disaster.
With nineteen persons per square kilometer in Laos compared to 115 in Thailand, and a rich natural resource base, Laos has a lot of growing room, unlike many places in Africa.
It seemed that in all of the sectors, the Chinese and Indians had made significant new natural resource discoveries that required more and more workers.
The late Cameron Atuli, what a shame, so young, a precious natural resource and to kill himself like that at the height of his career.
A factory is a 'natural resource,' like a tree, a rock or a mud puddle.
I suspect that you discovered them already as they are, and merely took advantage of a natural resource.
Next I enlarged upon the divers failings of New Tammany College, past and present, as revealed to me by Max and partially confirmed by my own reading and observation: its oppression of Frumentians, its lawless Informationalism, its staggering wastefulness, its pillage of natural resource and despoil of natural beauty, its hostility to learning and refinement, its apotheosis of the lowest percentile, its vulgarity, inflated self-esteem, self-righteousness, self-deception, sentimentality, hypocrisy, artificiality, simple-mindedness, naï.
Indeed, it made its living fishing out of that stream, with its one vital natural resource--six important wormhole jump points in close practical proximity to one another.
A tenth of British Columbia would be flooded, and there would be massive natural resource and human disruptions.
Indeed, it made its living fishing out of that stream, with its one vital natural resource—.
Indeed, it made its living fishing out of that stream, with its one vital natural resource -- six important wormhole jump points in close practical proximity to one another.
The girl was about Jake's age, bright, attractive, the daughter of a Bajoran diplomat who represented the planet's Natural Resource Council.