Name: ___________________________________________
Natural Resources
Warmup:
A friend of the family moves to Houston from El Salvador. They know nothing about HSPVA. What
would you tell them about HSPVA to help them understand?
Location –
Beliefs Goals Culture Is HSPVA like any other schools your friend might know about? Explain your answer.
Saudi Arabia Fact Sheet
Terrain: Mostly sandy desert
Climate: Harsh, dry desert
Most Abundant Natural Resource: Oil
Ethnic Majority: Arab
Official Language: Arabic
Primary Religion: Islamic (Muslim)
Government: Monarchy (King/Queen)
Based on what you know about Saudi Arabia are the following statements TRUE or FALSE
regarding Iraq?
1. Most people in Iraq are farmers.
2. Iraq is a Christian nation.
3. Most people in Iraq are Arab and speak Arabic.
4. The government of Iraq is a democracy.
Name: ___________________________________________
Natural Resources
Natural Resource: A supply found in nature.
Examples:
Source 1: Venezuela is known for its abundant deposits of petroleum but that is not the only
resource found in the region. Rivers rushing out of the Andes Mountains in the west and the
Guiana Highlands in the east provide about half of Venezuela's electricity through hydroelectric
dams. Guri Dam on the Caroní River is the largest, but hydroelectric dams also exist on several
Andean rivers, including the Santo Domingo. Oil-, gas-, and coal-fired generators supply the rest
of the country's electricity. More than 90% of Venezuelan households have electricity—one of
the highest percentages in Latin America.
Country:
Natural Resources Available:
Impact on Humans:
Source 2: Both the United States and Canada are rich in natural resources, providing
themselves and the rest of the world with such metals as gold, silver, copper, zinc, nickel, and
lead. Deposits of coal, natural gas, and petroleum help to supply some of the region's energy
needs. The great forests supply quantities of timber, while rivers and coastal waters have long
been sources for such regional seafood favorites as crab, salmon, halibut, catfish, shrimp, cod,
and lobster.
Country:
Natural Resources Available:
Impact on Humans:
Name: ___________________________________________
Source 3: By August 1848, news of the gold discovery had reached the East Coast, and on
December 5, 1848, President James K. Polk made the discovery of gold in California official. At a
time in which the typical day laborer made just $2 a day, the average individual was taking in
$50 per day working in the gold mines. With predictable and great speed, gold fever swept the
United States. By the end of 1849, the population of California had increased from about
15,000 to more than 150,000. By 1855, hundreds of thousands of people had migrated to
California, the largest migration of its kind in U.S. history.
Country:
Natural Resources Available:
Impact on Humans:
Source 4: One of Nicaragua's most valuable natural resources are the dense forests, which
cover about one-third of the country. The coastal jungles contain rubber, cedar, mahogany, and
rosewood, which have drawn some attention from loggers. The inland part of the eastern
lowlands boasts a huge pine savanna while the central highlands are covered with pine and oak
forests, and evergreen hardwoods occupy the highest mountain areas. More than 90% of
timber supplies go to firewood, the main energy source in rural areas.
Country:
Natural Resources Available:
Impact on Humans:
Source 5: Costa Rica's most important natural resources are its lush forests and river basins,
which are increasingly protected by law. In addition to providing forest products, fish, and
hydroelectric power, these rich ecosystems have been a major draw for the country's thriving
tourism industry. Agriculture is also important economically, although less than 20% of the
workforce now involved in farming, Costa Rica maintains a good-sized farming sector, with
bananas, pineapple, and coffee the main export crops. Other important agricultural products
include cut flowers and ferns used in floral arrangements, citrus fruit, rice, cocoa, beans,
potatoes, melons, vegetables, palm oil, poultry, and dairy products.
Country:
Natural Resources Available:
Impact on Humans: