For decades, Pahang's main industry centred on tropical timber production, as large forest swatches supported massive production of wood products, which were the state's main export. Yet a decline in mature trees due to intensive harvesting lately has caused a slowdown and the practice of more sustainable forestry.
Fishery products are also a main source of income especially for the communities on the long coastline of the state. Dried and salted fish is a speciality here.
Raub in the central Pahang area was the only profitable gold mining operation in Malaysia but reserves were soon exhausted and the mines were shut down. Recently, newer technology has made extraction profitable again and operations are being carried out once more.
Sungai Lembing in the heydays was a large centre for shaft mining of timah better known as tin. Miners dug underground tunnels to reach the ore and brought it up to the surface by the cartloads for smelting into jongkangs. Now that tin is no longer mined, and the mines are mostly flooded, Sungai Lembing is a dying town with few prospects except tourism based on its history of mining.
Industry mostly centres on wood-based products and petrochemical processing. Kuantan Port is the busiest port in the east coast. Comprehensive transportation networks allow for fast transportation of goods throughout the state.
Tourism remains the state's main earner with large natural resources to entice visitors from Taman Negara's forests, Pulau Tioman and the Genting Highlands.