Made up of more than 7,100 islands, the Philippines is the third-largest English-speaking country in the world. The island nation lies in the South China Sea and serves as the crossroads of the Orient. This country is well known for its popular tourism spots and its varied culture stemming from occupation of several different nations over the centuries. But it is also a land of rich natural resources that help sustain the nation and make it an important economy in the region.

The Ocean

Being surrounded by the ocean, it is no surprise that the Philippines relies on the waters as an important natural resource. There are more than 640,000 square miles of territorial waters in the Philippines and within these waters, there is an abundance of marine life and materials that are valuable to the nation's people and those across the world. At least 65 species of the 2,400 available species in Filipino waters have solid commercial value, and the crabs, seaweed, pearls and other ocean treasures make the sea among the top resources for this archipelago.


The Philippines is not a petroleum-rich country, but the land is still full of many valuable minerals. There are an estimated 21.5 billion metric tons of metal deposits in the Philippines and 19.3 billion metric tons of nonmetal minerals in the ground. Nickel is the most abundant deposit in the Philippines, while iron and copper are also present in significant amounts.

Major Crops

The volcanic history of the archipelago combined with the wide plains available throughout the nation make the Philippines a prime spot for growing crops for domestic use and export. The Central Luzon, Cagayan Valley and Negros are among the many places with fertile soil in the Philippines. This land is the nation's primary source of livelihood. The chief crops of the nation include rice, corn, sugarcane, abaca and tobacco, according to the Philippine History website. The rice and corn are used domestically, but the rest is used as a major export. The Philippines also exports a number of pineapples and bananas.


The tropical climate in the Philippines makes it an ideal location for flowers and plants. The islands have more than 2 million species of plants, and several of them are found nowhere else on the planet. Much of the flora in the Philippines, while diminished by over harvesting, is used as an important natural resource as ingredients in commercially exported products.

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