Two major ways for a country to make an economic impact

Trade and warfare. Trade can increase the countries wealth where war can destabilize a region leading to economic downturns.

This is all you, but i can give you some topics that you could try. if it rained when you want to do something outdoors, it 'limits' that human activity. maybe you want to do an experiment that goes throughout the whole year and you have to have above freezing the entire year. this 'limits' your activity. i thought of those just off of the top of my head. something that gets to me that might be getting to you is you are thinking too hard about what to do. think simply, and if it is too simple, then bump it up just a little bit.