According to the accounts of foreign travellers, the Vijayanagar Empire was one of the wealthiest parts of the world at that time.
Agriculture continued to be the chief occupation of the people and Vijayanagar rulers provided a stimulus to its further growth by providing irrigation facilities.
New tanks were built and dams were constructed across the rivers as Tunghabadra and Nuniz refer to the excavation of canals.
There were numerous industries and they were organized into guilds and metal workers and other craftsmen flourished during this period.
Diamond mines were located in Kurnool and Anantapur district and Vijayanagar was also a great centre of trade.
There were a number of seaports on the Malabar coast, the chief being Cannanore.