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Jiangxi is rich in mineral resources. Among the 150 proven minerals in the world, Jiangxi has documented more than 140. The reserves of 33 of them are among the top five in volume and quality in China. The reserves of nonferrous metals, precious metals, rare minerals, rare-earth minerals lead the country.

With a total length of about 18,400 kilometers, over 2400 rivers of various sizes run through Jiangxi. Of these, over 160 have water all year. The five major waterways are the Ganjiang, Fuhe, Xinjiang, Xiuhe and Raohe Rivers. The Ganjiang River winds south to north for 751 kilometers, covering a drainage area of 83,500 square kilometers. It covers such a large area that Jiangxi is called "Gan" for short. These five rivers all originate from the border mountains, wind through the foothills, run across the plains, moisten fertile lands, gather at Poyang Lake and empty into the Yangtze River.

Jiangxi is dotted with numerous lakes, of which Poyang Lake is the most famous. It stretches 170 kilometers from south to north, and 74 kilometers from east to west. Its shorelines run for 1,800 kilometers. During the flood season, the lake covers 3,841 square kilometers, and the wide expanse of misty Poyang Lake ranks the first among China's five largest fresh lakes. Its huge volume of water acts as a transfer station linking the five major rivers with the Yangtze River and then to the Pacific Ocean. It is a hub linking Jiangxi's river transportation with other provinces as well as a regulating center to the flow of water in the Yangtze River. Poyang Lake is an aquatic treasure house. The fertile area around the lake has established itself as "the Land of fish and rice".