Final answer:
The UK and Russia both have valuable natural resources, including gold, but Russia's extensive natural resources, such as oil, gas, and minerals, are vast compared to the UK's more limited and rapidly depleting resources. Russia's climate poses challenges in accessing its resources, while the UK has benefitted from coal, iron ore, and fishing, aided by the Gulf Stream.
Step-by-step explanation:
When comparing the natural resources of the UK and Russia, we observe significant differences stemming from the geographical expanse and climatic conditions of the two countries. Russia is endowed with enormous quantities of natural resources such as oil, timber, diamonds, natural gas, gold, and silver, particularly in the vast, sparsely inhabited areas of Siberia and the Ural Mountains. These resources have been crucial to Russia's economic development and will continue to play an important role in its economic future.
In contrast, the UK has historically utilized its coal and iron ore to become an industrial leader, with coal being instrumental during the era of steam engines. Fishing has also been important, supported by access to the Atlantic Ocean and other waters. While both Russia and the UK have natural resources that include gold, their utilization and future prospects differ. The UK's resources are much more limited and are being used up at a significant rate, whereas Russia's climate and vastness of territory pose challenges in accessing some of its resources despite their abundance.
It is also noteworthy that, contrary to the claim in the question, only Russia benefits from the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, as the UK's climate is moderated by this current, whereas Russia's climate, especially in Siberia, is characterized by harsh winters and hot summers.