A resource is any material, asset, or quality that can be used to satisfy human needs or achieve a goal. It includes natural materials, human skills, financial capital, and physical tools that are accessible, economically feasible, and culturally sustainable to help meet wants and needs
. Resources can be classified in several ways:
- Natural resources : Derived from the environment, such as water, minerals, air, forests, and animals. These can be renewable or non-renewable and are essential for survival or economic development
- Human resources : The skills, knowledge, and labor people contribute to production or services
- Physical resources : Tangible materials or equipment needed to produce goods or services
- Financial resources : Capital or money used to acquire other resources or fund activities
Resources have three key features: they provide utility (satisfy needs), have limited availability relative to demand, and have the potential to be depleted over time
. In summary, a resource is anything that can be drawn upon to support human activity, whether it is natural, human, physical, or financial in nature