Among Bahia 's mineral resources are petroleum, natural gas, lead, copper, chrome, tin, barite, manganese, magnesite, titanium, hematite, quartz, kaolin, marble, asbestos, and amethyst. The most important crops in Bahia are cacao, cassava, vegetable oils, piassava, and sisal. Timber is obtained from the forests. Cattle are raised in many parts of the state, and yield leather and skins. Bahia 's agriculture was severely threatened by recurring droughts in the latter part of the 20th century.
Heavy industry is represented by a petroleum refinery and by cement works and ironworks.
Salvador, Feira de Santana, Aratu, and Ilh us are the state's industrial centres. Energy is mostly hydroelectric, especially from the Paulo Afonso project. Roads and railways stretch across the state but are more concentrated in the Rec ncavo. Prominent among cultural institutions are the Bahia Academy of Letters, the Bahia Geographical and Historical Institute, and the Bahia Institute of Music.