As more than 70% of the land is farm-holding land, except Ubon Ratchatani in which the farm-holding land is 54.4%, it is certain that agriculture is the largest sector of the regional economy, generating around 22% of the Gross Provincial Product, which is higher than that of other regions and also when compared to 8.5% for Thailand as awhole. Even for the Ubon Ratchathani Province in which its agriculture sector is 15.8% of the Gross Provincial Product which is less than other provinces in the region, its GPP from agriculture sector is also higher than that of the country average. Moreover, almost 60% of the total land is paddy field. This makes rice the major product of the region. In the last few years, there has been investment in rubber plantation in the region; the production is currently the second-largest followed by cash crops like cassava and sugarcane. However, due to the socio-economic conditions, the exceptionally hot, dry climate, and mostly sandy soil with substantial salt deposits, the north-eastern region remains the poorest region of Thailand. In 2010, the per capita GPP was the lowest in the country at USD 1,584 as compared to the national average of USD 4,842.51.