Credentials and experience
- Education: Economist, Universidad de Antioquia (Medellín, Colombia).
- Experience: Covering the environment and sustainable development since 2013.
- Data work: research and direct work with the databases of the major international research bodies — the World Bank, the FAO, the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the United Nations and the OECD.
- Approach: turning that data into a simple, visual format — tables, maps and charts that make each country’s environmental situation clear at a glance.
- Publications: 210 articles published on Desarrollo Sustentable since 2013, including 163 country profiles of natural resources.
- Location: Medellín, Colombia.
How this data is collected, verified and updated: editorial standards and methodology. For corrections or questions: juanmonto5@hotmail.com.
Nigeria Natural Resources: Africa’s Largest Oil Producer
Nigeria’s natural resources stand out for its oil and natural gas reserves, with gas output of 45,900 million cubic feet placing it 17th in the world. The country holds 950 km³ of fresh water, the Niger River and the 760 MW Kainji hydroelectric plant. What natural wealth does Nigeria hold? Nigeria is a country rich…
Egypt Natural Resources: How the Nile Shapes a Desert
Egypt’s natural resources rest on oil, at 560,942 barrels a day in 2021, which places the country 16th in the world, along with natural gas, gold and iron ore. The Nile is its water axis, with a freshwater reserve of 57.3 km³. What are the natural resources of Egypt? Egypt, in northeastern Africa, holds vast…
Australia Natural Resources: The World’s Iron Ore Leader
Australia’s natural resources span iron ore, coal and natural gas, the base of its exports. Its coal output reached 550 million tonnes in 2024 (fifth in the world), it produced 398,000 barrels of oil a day, and it ranks seventh worldwide in natural gas. Which natural resources in Australia stand out most, and where do…
Italy Natural Resources: Marble, Geothermal Power and Wine
Italy’s natural resources run from minerals to Mediterranean agriculture. The country is famous for the white marble of Carrara, in Tuscany, and for the olive tree. Which natural resources in Italy stand out most? Its forests cover 32.89% of the territory (World Bank, 2023) and it holds a freshwater reserve of 191.3 km³. Italy, in…
Cuba Natural Resources: Nickel, Cobalt and Biodiversity
Cuba’s natural resources stand out for biodiversity rather than minerals: the island hosts 1,103 fish species, the tocororo as its national bird and the Cuban crocodile. Its forests cover 31.23% of the territory, it holds a freshwater reserve of 38.12 km³ and it produces some 33,912 barrels of oil a day. What natural resources does…
Germany Natural Resources: Europe’s Top Lignite Producer
Germany’s natural resources span minerals, forests and water. It is Europe’s largest lignite producer, at close to 102 million tonnes in 2023, and holds a freshwater reserve of 154 km³. Its biodiversity includes species such as the lynx, red deer and wild boar. What are the natural resources of Germany? Germany, one of Europe’s most…
Argentina Natural Resources: Lithium, Shale Oil and Soy
Argentina’s natural resources span oil, gas, minerals and rich wildlife and plant life. The country produces some 635,320 barrels of oil a day and ranks among the world’s leading silver producers, at 808 tonnes in 2023 according to the USGS. Which natural resources in Argentina stand out most, and where does it sit in the…
France Natural Resources: Forests, Water and Nuclear Power
France’s natural resources include water, forests, minerals and energy. The country holds water reserves of 211 km³, produces 380 thousand tonnes of aluminum a year and generates 556,184 GWh of renewable energy. Its forest area covers 31.51% of the territory, watered by rivers such as the Seine and the Loire. What are the natural resources…
Japan’s Natural Resources: Rich in Forests, Poor in Minerals
Japan’s natural resources stand out for its forests and water rather than its minerals. Forests cover 68.41% of the territory and the country holds the world’s 23rd-largest freshwater reserve, at 430 km³. It is also the fourth country by number of fish species, with 4,054. What natural resources does Japan have? Japan is an island…
Canada’s Natural Resources: Oil Sands, Potash and Forests
Canada’s natural resources make it the world’s fourth-largest oil producer, at some 5.1 million barrels a day in 2024, and the holder of the planet’s fourth-largest freshwater reserve, at 2,902 km³. Its forests cover 38.70% of the territory, and it produces gold, copper, iron ore and aluminum. What are the natural resources of Canada? Canada…
