How could a place's physical features impact its land use and economy?

Let's say a couple try is set in a place where there are lots of mountains. The mountains form a huge barrier for the amount of land that can be used for agriculture and urbanization. But let's say that a cities in this country were close to the ocean on one side. Access to the ocean would cause the cities to make money from exporting good and they could import food that was grown in other places, because they have limited land for agriculture. So, physical features can either hinder or aid the country in terms of land use and economy. Natural resources found in the physical features can be sold for a profit, giving the people a steady source of income, as long as the resources are maintained.