Resources and factors given by the Almighty Allah are helpful in production of wealth and provision facilities of life are called natural resources. Natural resources include minerals, forests, livestock, agricultural forms and rivers etc. natural resources of a country play an important role in the economic development of a country. If these resources are efficiently utilized, it will open new vistas of development and prosperity for human beings. Let us discuss the resources of the Muslim world.
1. Mineral Oil.
Petroleum oil is pumped out from deep wells in crude form. It is refined to produce petroleum, kerosene oil, diesel, paraffin and other chemical products. ALLAH has bestowed upon a number of Muslim countries the wealth of petroleum. among the Muslim countries, Saudi Arabia is the largest oil producing and oil exporting country of the world. Iran is the second biggest oil producing country in the Muslim world. Iraq, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Abu Dhabi are also among the biggest exporters of petroleum. A few Muslim countries of Africa such as Egypt, Libya, Algeria and Morocco also produce oil. Brunei and Indonesia in Asia and Azerbaijan in central Asia also produce oil. Pakistan produces only 30 percent of its oil requirements.
2. Natural Gas.
Like mineral oil and coal, natural gas is also used as fuel. In Pakistan it is used as a substitute for mineral oil and coal. Pakistan has large reservoirs of natural gas. There are also huge reservoirs of natural gas in Sylhet. i.e. Bangladesh. In Indonesia and Morocco also some gas reservoirs have been discovered. In Iran also exists big reservoirs of gas. These natural wealth is being utilized for the development of these countries.
3. Coal.
In Iran, coal is mined in the mountains of Alberz Kashan and Kirman. coal is also mined in huge quantity in the hilly areas of Karaganda in Kazakhstan and the Mountainous region of Uzbekistan. In Turkey coal is found in the coastal areas of the Black Sea. coal is also mined in the mountains of Afghanistan. In Pakistan coal is found in Dandot, Makarwal, Mianwali, Kalabhag, Chaghi, Thar, Lakhra etc.
4. Gold.
Huge quantity of gold the precious metal is found in Uzbekistan. 60% gold of the former soviet union was mined in Uzbekistan. Gold reserves are found in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Kyrgyzstan. Apart from gold, silver is also present in the Muslim world.
Iron is an important mineral in the modern world. It is used in most of the industries, usually in the form of steel. In the Muslim world it is mined on a large scale in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco some deposits are also found in Pakistan. Most of these countries also mine copper and lead, which are very often found near iron deposits.
6. Chromite.
Among the Muslim countries, Pakistan has the largest deposits of Chromite. There are deposits of high grade. Chromite at Muslim Bagh, Pishin and Chitral. Iran has Chromite deposits in the Elborz Mountain.
