Civilization V: Civilizations
There will be 43 civilizations in Civ5, each with its own leader and unique unit. In addition, every leader has a semi-unique "personality", consisting of traits that determine their in-game behavior.
For example, Elizabeth of the English, a historical naval power, emphasizes a pursuit of naval dominance and the choices she makes reflects this desire. However, in order to prevent leaders from becoming too-predictable, these traits have the potential to be changed slightly and weighted differently before a new game begins, keeping diplomacy fresh.
| Image | Civilization | Image | Leader | Unique Ability | Unique Unit | Unique Component #2 |
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America |  |
Washington | Manifest Destiny: All land military units have +1 sight. 50% discount when purchasing tiles. | B17 | Minuteman |
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Arabia |  |
Harun al-Rashid | Trade Caravans: +1 Gold from each Trade Route and Oil Resources provide double quantity. | Camel Archer | Bazaar |
| Assyria (BNW) | Ashurbanipal | Treasures of Nineveh: Steal an enemy technology when taking a city. Can be used only once per city. | Siege Tower | Royal Library | ||
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Austria (G&K) |  |
Maria Theresa | Diplomatic Marriage: Can spend Gold to annex or puppet an allied City-State. | Hussar | Coffee House |
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Aztecs |  |
Montezuma | Sacrificial Captives: Gains Culture for the empire from each enemy unit killed. | Jaguar | Floating Gardens |
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Babylon (DLC) |  |
Nebuchadnezzar II | Ingenuity: Receive free Great Scientist when you discover Writing. Earn Great Scientists 50% faster. | Bowman | Walls of Babylon |
| Brazil (BNW) | Pedro II | Carnival: Tourism output doubled and spawn rate of Great Artists (all types) increased during Golden Ages. | Pracinhas | Brazilwood Camp | ||
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Byzantium (G&K) |  |
Theodora | Patriarchate of Constantinople: Choose one more Belief than normal when you found a Religion. | Cataphract | Dromon |
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Carthage (G&K) |  |
Dido | Phoenician Heritage: All coastal Cities get a free Harbor. Units may cross mountains after the first Great General is earned, taking 50 HP damage if they end a turn on a mountain. | African Forest Elephant | Quiquereme |
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Celts (G&K) |  |
Boudicca | Druidic Lore:+1 Faith per city with an adjacent unimproved Forest. Bonus increases to +2 Faith in Cities with 3 or more adjacent unimproved Forest tiles. | Pictish Warrior | Ceilidh Hall |
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China |  |
Wu Zetian | Art of War: The Great General combat bonus is increased by 15%, and their spawn rate is increased by 50%. | Chu-Ko-Nu | Paper Maker |
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Denmark (DLC) |  |
Harald Bluetooth | Viking Fury: Embarked units have +1 Movement and pay just 1 movement point to move from sea to land. Melee units pay no movement point cost to pillage. | Berserker | Norwegian Ski Infantry |
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Egypt |  |
Ramesses II | Monument Builders: +20% Production towards Wonder construction. | War Chariot | Burial Tomb |
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England |  |
Elizabeth | Sun Never Sets: +2 Movement for all naval units. Receives 1 extra Spy. | Longbowman | Ship of the Line |
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Ethiopia (G&K) |  |
Haile Selassie | Spirit of Adwa: Combat bonus (+20%) when fighting units from a Civilization with more Cities than Ethiopia. | Mehal Sefari | Stele |
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France |  |
Napoleon | Ancien Régime: +2 Culture per turn from Cities before discovering Steam Power. (BNW) City of Light: Great Work tourism theme bonus double in the Capital. |
Musketeer | Foreign Legion (BNW) Chateau |
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Germany |  |
Bismarck | Furor Teutonicus: Upon defeating a Barbarian unit inside an encampment, there is a 50% chance you earn 25 Gold and they join your side. Pay 25% less for land unit maintenance. | Landsknecht | Panzer |
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Greece |  |
Alexander | Hellenic League: City-State Influence degrades at half and recovers at twice the normal rate. | Companion Cavalry | Hoplite |
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Huns (G&K) |  |
Attila | Scourge of God: Raze Cities at double speed. Borrow City names from other in-game Civs. Start with Animal Husbandry technology. +1 Production per Pasture. | Horse Archer | Battering Ram |
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Inca (DLC) |  |
Pachacuti | Great Andean Road: Units ignore terrain costs when moving into any tile with Hills. No maintenance costs for improvements in Hills; half cost elsewhere. | Slinger | Terrace Farm |
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India |  |
Gandhi | Population Growth: Unhappiness from number of Cities doubled, Unhappiness from number of Citizens halved. | War Elephant | Mughal Fort |
| Indonesia (BNW) | Gajah Mada | Spice Islanders: The first 3 cities founded on continents other than where Indonesia started each provide 2 unique Luxury Resources (and can never be razed). | Kris Swordsman | Candi | ||
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Iroquois |  |
Hiawatha | The Great Warpath: Units move through Forest and Jungle in friendly territory as if it is Road. These tiles can be used to establish Trade Routes upon researching The Wheel. | Mohawk Warrior | Longhouse |
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Japan |  |
Oda Nobunaga | Bushido: Units fight as though they were at full strength even when damaged. | Samurai | Zero |
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Korea (DLC) |  |
Sejong | Scholars of the Jade Hall: +2 science for all specialists and for all Great Person tile improvements. Receive a tech boost each time a scientific building/Wonder is built in the Korean capital. | Turtle Ship | Hwach'a |
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Maya (G&K) |  |
Pacal | The Long Count: After researching Theology, receive a bonus Great Person at the end of every Maya Long Count calendar cycle (every 394 years). Each bonus person can only be chosen once. | Atlatlist | Pyramid |
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Mongolia (DLC) |  |
Genghis Khan | Mongol Terror: Combat Strength +30% when fighting City-State units or attacking a City-State itself. All mounted units have +1 Movement. | Keshik | Khan |
| Morocco (BNW) | Ahmad al-Mansur | Gateway to Africa: Receives +3 Gold and +1 Culture for each International Trade Route with a different civ or City-State. The Trade Route owners receive +2 Gold for each Trade Route sent to Morocco. | Berber Cavalry | Kasbah | ||
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Netherlands (G&K) |  |
William | Dutch East India Company: Retains 50% of the Happiness benefits from a Luxury Resource if your last copy of it is traded away. | Sea Beggar | Polder |
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Ottomans |  |
Suleiman | Barbary Corsairs: All melee naval units have the Prize Ships promotion, allowing them to capture defeated ships. Pay only one-third the usual cost for naval unit maintenance. | Janissary | Sipahi |
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Persia |  |
Darius I | Achaemenid Legacy: Golden Ages last 50% longer. During a Golden Age, units recieve +1 Movement and a +10% Combat Strength bonus. | Immortal | Satrap's Court |
| Poland (BNW) | Casimir III | Solidarity: Receive a free Social Policy at the start of each new Era. | Winged Hussar | Ducal Stable | ||
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Polynesia (DLC) |  |
Kamehameha | Wayfinding: Can embark and move over Oceans immediately. +1 Sight when embarked. +10% Combat Strength bonus if within 2 tiles of a Moai. | Maori Warrior | Moai |
| Portugal (BNW) | Maria I | Mare Clausum: Resource diversity grants twice as much Gold for Portugal in International Trade Routes. | Nau | Feitoria | ||
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Rome |  |
Augustus Caesar | The Glory of Rome: +25% Production towards any buildings that already exist in the Capital. | Ballista | Legion |
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Russia |  |
Catherine | Siberian Riches: Strategic Resources provide +1 Production and Horse, Iron and Uranium Resources provide double quantity. | Cossack | Krepost |
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Siam |  |
Ramkhamhaeng | Father Governs Children: Food, Culture and Faith from friendly City-States increased by 50%. | Naresuan’s Elephant | Wat |
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Songhai |  |
Askia | River Warlord: Receive triple Gold from Barbarian encampments and pillaging Cities. Land units gain the War Canoe and Amphibious promotions, strengthening them while embarked. | Mandekalu Cavalry | Mud Pyramid Mosque |
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Spain (DLC) |  |
Isabella | Seven Cities of Gold: Gold bonus for discovering a Natural Wonder (bonus enhanced if first to discover it). Culture, happiness, and tile yields from Natural Wonders doubled. | Tercio | Conquistador |
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Sweden (G&K) |  |
Gustavus Adolphus | Nobel Prize: Gain 90 Influence with a Great Person gift to a City-State. When declaring friendship, Sweden and their friend gain a +10% boost to Great Person generation. | Hakkapeliitta | Carolean |
| Zulus (BNW) | Shaka | Iklwa: Melee units cost 50% less maintenance; all military units require 25 percent less XP to earn a promotion. | Impi | Ikanda |