"The natural resources of the United Kingdom (including agriculture, mining, forestry, all raw materials and energy): assets and liabilities on the local and international geopolitical theatre"

Résumé du document

The United Kingdom's territory is full of diversified natural resources. From their profitability to their confrontation to the global market, the exploitation of these natural resources has been fit on a seasonally adjusted basis. From the agriculture to the mining and production of raw materials, these wealth have created a reputation to the produce of the United Kingdom on its territory and beyond the border. But prosperity has not always been there.

So nowadays, in times of crisis, what is the impact of the United Kingdom's natural resources exploitation on the territory and abroad? Firstly, let's consider the case of the agriculture at the same time renowned and devalued on the market for its good quality. Then, an analysis of the evolution of the raw materials exploitation in the United Kingdom would be useful to deduce the role of this state in this sector. Eventually, a last asset characterizes the United Kingdom's management of its natural wealth: its capacity of fitting its know-how to the current needs. Nowadays, around 18.7 million hectares of the United Kingdom are classified as agricultural lands, say over 70% of the total land area.

The agricultural sector that represents 1% of the United Kingdom's GDP is very productive. Crops, grassland and woodland mix with other land creating an extraordinary diversity of produce. The United Kingdom's agriculture is well-known for its capacity to produce crops and meat of the best quality. Indeed, the main asset of the United Kingdom's agriculture is to be in possession of a real know-how that makes the farmers able to produce well renowned products so as to attract not only the inhabitants of the lands but also from overseas.