Civilization V: Civilizations

There are 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
America Washington Manifest Destiny: All land military units have +1 sight. 50% discount when purchasing tiles. B17 Minuteman
Arabia Harun al-Rashid Ships of the Desert: Caravans gain 50% extended range. Your trade routes spread the home city’s religion twice as effectively. Oil resources are doubled. Camel Archer Bazaar
Assyria (BNW) Ashurbanipal Treasures of Nineveh: When a city is conquered, gain a free Technology already discovered by its owner. Gaining a city through a trade deal does not count, and it can only happen once per enemy city. Siege Tower Royal Library
Austria (G&K) Maria Theresa Diplomatic Marriage: Can spend Gold to annex or puppet a City-State that has been your ally for 5 turns. Hussar Coffee House
Aztecs Montezuma Sacrificial Captives: Gains Culture for the empire from each enemy unit killed. Jaguar Floating Gardens
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 is +100% during their Golden Ages. Earn Great Artists, Musicians, and Writers 50% faster during their Golden Ages. Pracinha Brazilwood Camp
Byzantium (G&K) Theodora Patriarchate of Constantinople: Choose one more Belief than normal when you found a Religion. Cataphract Dromon
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 Quinquereme
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
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
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
Egypt Ramesses II Monument Builders: +20% Production towards Wonder construction. War Chariot Burial Tomb
England Elizabeth Sun Never Sets: +2 Movement for all naval units. Receives 1 extra Spy. Longbowman Ship of the Line
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
France Napoleon City of Light: Museum and World Wonder theming bonuses are doubled in their capital. Musketeer Chateau
Germany Bismarck Furor Teutonicus: Upon defeating a Barbarian unit inside an encampment, there is a 67% chance you earn 25 Gold and they join your side. Pay 25% less for land unit maintenance. Panzer Hanse
Greece Alexander Hellenic League: City-State Influence degrades at half and recovers at twice the normal rate. Companion Cavalry Hoplite
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
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
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
Iroquois Hiawatha The Great Warpath: Units move through Forest and Jungle in friendly territory as if they were Roads. These tiles can be used to establish City Connections upon researching The Wheel. Caravans move along Forest and Jungle as if they were Roads. Mohawk Warrior Longhouse
Japan Oda Nobunaga Bushido: Units fight as though they were at full strength even when damaged. +1 Culture from each Fishing Boat and +2 Culture from each Atoll Samurai Zero
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
Rome Augustus Caesar The Glory of Rome: +25% Production towards any buildings that already exist in the Capital. Ballista Legion
Russia Catherine Siberian Riches: Strategic Resources provide +1 Production and Horse, Iron and Uranium Resources provide double quantity. Cossack Krepost
Shoshone (BNW) Pocatello Great Expanse: Founded cities start with additional territory. Units receive a combat bonus when fighting in their own territory. Pathfinder Comanche Riders
Siam Ramkhamhaeng Father Governs Children: Food, Culture and Faith from friendly City-States increased by 50%. Naresuan’s Elephant Wat
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
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
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
Venice (BNW) Enrico Dandolo Serenissima: Cannot gain settlers nor annex cities. Double the normal number of Trade Routes available. A Merchant of Venice appears after researching Optics. May purchase in puppeted cities. Merchant of Venice Great Galleass
Zulus (BNW) Shaka Iklwa: Melee units cost 50% less maintenance; all military units require 25% less XP to earn a promotion. Impi Ikanda