Both North and South Carolina offer a variety of wildlife resources. North Carolina, for example, has a variety of ecosystems, each of which supports different life forms. More than 120 mammals call the state home including white-tail deer and black bears. The rivers, streams and wetlands of the state support more than 245 species of freshwater fish. North Carolina is home to six fish hatcheries stocked with trout. South Carolina, on the other hand, is known for its abundance of shrimp in the coastal regions. Atlantic shrimp is a major natural resource and a popular export.
Timber resources are available in both North and South Carolina, but it is one of North Carolina's most important exports and a large part of the economy. As much as 58 percent of North Carolina is forested and mostly zoned for timber. Most of this timber is along the coastal and the mountainous regions of the state.
North and South Carolina's pastures lend themselves to livestock and cattle grazing. Much of the agricultural exports in the states are livestock and livestock byproducts such as milk and eggs. Crops in the states include small grains, cotton, soybeans and most valuable, tobacco. North Carolina's variety of climates boasts more than 400 types of soil, allowing for an abundance of crops. The state ranks third in the nation for exports of turkey, trout and swine, and second for Christmas trees.
Mining is big commerce in South Carolina. The mountains in the state are regular suppliers of gold, vermiculite, granite, limestone and mica. North Carolina, however, is popular for gem mining. Sapphires, rubies and garnets are just some of the stones indigenous to the area. The town of Franklin, North Carolina, is even known as the "Gem Capital of the World."
