The largest reserves of cobalt, diamonds, platinum and uranium in the world are in Africa. It holds 65 per cent of the world's arable land and ten percent of the planet's internal renewable fresh water source. In most African countries, natural capital accounts for between 30 percent and 50 percent of total wealth.
Africa has a large quantity of natural resources, including diamonds, sugar, salt, gold, iron, cobalt, uranium, copper, bauxite, silver, petroleum, and cocoa beans, but also tropical timber and tropical fruit. Recently discovered oil reserves have increased the importance of the commodity on African economies.
Ghana is the continent's largest producer of gold, followed by South Africa and Mali. Industrial minerals such as diamonds, gypsum, salt, sulphur and phosphates were the main commodity for 13 African countries. The DRC is Africa's largest industrial diamond producer, followed by Botswana and South Africa.
