A natural resource is any physical material that constitutes part of Earth and which people need and value. The value of a resource depends upon human needs and the technology available to extract and use it. Crude oil was once perceived as a worthless nuisance until technology allowed it to be refined to a form used in lamps. Whale oil, thus, was no longer valued as a resource. The location of resources influences the distribution of people and their activities on Earth.
People live where they can earn a living.
Human migration and settlement are linked to the availability of resources ranging from fertile soils and supplies of fresh water to deposits of metals or pools of natural gas. The demand for resources increases with population and helps to drive national and international patterns of trade. Natural resources are items provided by nature from which people produce goods and provide services. Some examples of natural resources include water, soil, trees, and oil as well as minerals and metals such as gold and iron ore. Even abundant fish can be a natural resource.