How does a country become self sustaining when it has no natural resources?

Answer 1

by becoming technologically and service-oriented??

Answer 2

Like this:

1. Mobilize your citizens to build basic infrastructure under the banner of nationalizm and the survival of your culture. Roads, water, sewer, grading land, resevoirs, electrification, telephone, etc.

2. Then, put a massive focus on public education and college education. Require kids to be in school 6 days a week - 10 hours a day.

3. Set up transparent financial markets and create tax incentives for foreign investment to employ your citizens in the areas of service, technology, education, entertainment, manufacturing, etc.

4. If you are near an ocean, expoit your fisheries, build ports and begin ocean going trade with your neighbors.

If you doubt this plan, look at South Korea.
Surrounded by enemies, no natural resources (none!), and one of the top economies in the world with a very high standard of living.

Answer 3

It doesn't. Instead of becoming self-sustaining, it becomes integrated into the regional (or even world) economy. It exports labor-intensive manufactures and services and buys raw materials and agricultural commodities (and maybe capital goods) from abroad. After a while, growing incomes begin to expand a base for domestic consumption of manufactures and services...

Examples of this type of development abound, especially in Asia. Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore at different times evolved along this path...

Answer 4

Lots of ways. and there are lots of examples: Singapore and Japan in Asia. Then I think there are heaps in Europe, like Austria, Switzerland, etc.

They don't have much natural resources, but they manage to take advantage of the human resource, technology and tourism.

Answer 5

it can't... it would inevitably have to trade, else what would they eat- plants and animals are natural resources, where would they live- stone and wood are natural resources, what would they drink- water is a natural resource. they could become "sustaining", but not self sustaining.

Answer 6

Improve education (get loans from wealthy countries) and then import high tech jobs from those same countries. Sounds good doesn't it? :)

Answer 7

Are u refering to Singapore? Not sure the answer to your question. Sorry =)

Answer 8

tourism

Answer 9

educate itself!!!!!!!!