Everything available in our environment which can be used to satisfy our needs is called a Resource. Resources are technological accessible, economically feasible and culturally acceptable. Examples are coal, minerals, forest, land, water, fossil fuels etc.
Resources are classified as follows :
(i) On the basis of origin
(a) Biotic : living resources like plants etc.
(b) Abiotic : Non living resources like solar energy, land etc.
(ii) On the basis of exhaustibility
(a) Renewable : Which can be recreated like solar energy etc.
(b) Non-Renewable: Which cannot be recreate like fossil fuels.
(iii) On the basis of ownership
(a) Individual (Personal) : Owned by an individual person.
(b) Community : Owned by the whole community.
(c) National : Owned by a country.
(d) International : Accessed by all nations.
(iv) On the basis of status of development.
(a) Potential : Resources which are found in a region, but have not been utilized.
(b) Developed : Which are surveyed and quality and quantity shows the utilization.
(c) Reserve : Which can be used for meeting future requirements.
(d) Stock: Which can not be used due to the lack of appropriate technology to used these resources.