Sid Meier’s Civilization VI stands as a titan in the 4X strategy genre, renowned for its incredible depth and immense replayability. A core part of this appeal is its vast and diverse roster of playable civilizations, each offering unique abilities, units, and strategies to master.
As of its final major content updates, the game boasts a complete collection of 50 unique civilizations. This roster has grown significantly since its initial launch, expanding through two major expansions, a seasonal content pass, and several individual DLC packs.
Here is the definitive guide to every civilization available in Civilization VI, with a summary of their unique playstyle, categorized by how they were released.
Base Game Civilizations
The original game launched with 19 civilizations. The Aztec civilization was initially a pre-order bonus but was later made free for all players.
- America (Leader: Teddy Roosevelt)
America is a powerhouse in the late game, geared towards a Culture Victory. Roosevelt’s abilities grant combat bonuses on their home continent and appeal to tiles adjacent to mountains and wonders. Their unique P-51 Mustang aircraft and Film Studio building allow them to dominate the skies and the world’s tourism scene in the modern era. - Arabia (Leader: Saladin)
Arabia is uniquely positioned to pursue both Religion and Science simultaneously. They are guaranteed to receive a Great Prophet and their unique Madrasa building provides both faith and science. Saladin’s worship buildings are cheaper and generate bonus science, culture, and faith, allowing for a balanced and flexible path to victory. - Aztec (Leader: Montezuma I)
The Aztecs are an early-game military force that fuels its expansion with the blood of its enemies. Their Eagle Warrior unit can capture defeated enemies and turn them into builders, allowing them to rapidly develop a conquered empire. Their entire civilization is strengthened by having access to luxury resources, making them a formidable Domination threat. - Brazil (Leader: Pedro II)
Brazil excels at generating Great People and is geared towards a Culture or Religious victory. Their unique Street Carnival district and adjacency bonuses from rainforests allow them to generate immense amounts of faith, culture, and gold. Pedro II’s leader ability refunds Great Person points after recruiting one, creating a snowball effect of Great Person generation. - China (Leader: Qin Shi Huang)
China is a flexible civilization focused on building early wonders and leveraging the power of its builders. Qin Shi Huang can use builder charges to rush Ancient and Classical era wonders, giving them a significant early advantage. Their Great Wall unique improvement provides defense and culture, and their Crouching Tiger Cannon is a powerful mid-game defensive unit. - Egypt (Leader: Cleopatra)
Egypt is a trade-focused civilization that benefits greatly from building on river tiles. Cleopatra’s trade routes provide extra gold for Egypt and food for her trade partners, making her a powerful ally. Their Maryannu Chariot Archer is a strong early-game unit, and their unique Sphinx improvement generates faith and culture, especially when built next to wonders. - England (Leader: Victoria)
England is a naval and colonial powerhouse, excelling at a Domination or Culture Victory. Their Royal Navy Dockyard is a superior harbor that builds ships faster and generates gold. Their signature Redcoat unit is incredibly strong when fighting on other continents, perfectly suiting their goal of establishing a global, trade-rich empire. - France (Leader: Catherine de Medici)
France is a mid-game Culture and Espionage-focused civilization. Catherine’s network of spies grants her extra diplomatic visibility, providing intelligence and free spies. They are masters at building mid-game wonders and their unique Garde Impériale unit is strong on their home continent, making them a formidable force heading into a Culture Victory. - Germany (Leader: Frederick Barbarossa)
Germany is an industrial powerhouse, geared towards a Production-heavy game that can pivot to any victory type, especially Science or Domination. Their strength lies in the Hansa, a unique Industrial Zone replacement that gains massive adjacency bonuses, allowing German cities to out-produce nearly any rival. Barbarossa’s ability to easily conquer city-states provides a strong foundation for a sprawling, productive empire. - Greece (Leaders: Pericles or Gorgo)
Greece is the ultimate Culture civilization, with two leaders offering different paths. Pericles generates culture for every city-state he is the Suzerain of, promoting a diplomatic approach. Gorgo earns culture for every enemy unit defeated, encouraging an aggressive, warlike path to a Culture Victory. Both benefit from the unique Acropolis district and an extra wildcard policy slot. - India (Leader: Gandhi)
India is a faith-based civilization that can win a Religious Victory without ever declaring a formal war. Gandhi’s abilities cause enemies who declare war on him to suffer massive war-weariness penalties. Their unique Stepwell improvement provides faith and housing, and their Varu war elephant is a powerful unit for deterring early aggression. - Japan (Leader: Hojo Tokimune)
Japan is a versatile civilization that benefits from tightly packing its districts and cities together. Their Meiji Restoration ability gives standard adjacency bonuses to all districts placed next to each other. They field a powerful unique unit, the Samurai, and their Electronics Factory provides bonus production and culture to nearby cities, making them strong in any victory path. - Kongo (Leader: Mvemba a Nzinga)
The Kongo cannot found their own religion but are masters at using the beliefs of others to their advantage. They gain the beliefs of any religion with a majority in their cities and receive bonus food, production, and gold from relics, artifacts, and sculptures. They are geared for a Culture Victory by housing great works and attracting tourists. - Norway (Leader: Harald Hardrada)
Norway is a naval raiding civilization built for early coastal domination. They can enter ocean tiles early, and their naval melee units can perform coastal raids to pillage enemy districts from the sea. Their unique Stave Church and powerful Berserker unit make them a terror of the seas from the ancient era onwards. - Rome (Leader: Trajan)
Rome is a beginner-friendly civilization focused on rapid expansion and territorial control. All Roman cities start with a free Trading Post and a road to the capital, and new cities start with a free monument. Their unique unit, the Legion, is a powerful swordsman replacement that can also build forts, allowing them to conquer and hold territory with unmatched efficiency. - Russia (Leader: Peter the Great)
Russia is a civilization that thrives in the cold tundra and excels at a Religious or Culture Victory. They gain extra territory when founding cities, and their unique Lavra district generates Great Person points and expands their borders with each Great Person expended. Their trade routes with more advanced civilizations grant them free science and culture, allowing them to catch up and then surpass their rivals. - Scythia (Leader: Tomyris)
Scythia is an aggressive, early-game Domination civilization that specializes in cavalry. Tomyris’s units heal after defeating an enemy, and they receive a free copy of every light cavalry unit they train. Their unique Saka Horse Archer is a fast, versatile unit perfect for overwhelming neighbors in the ancient and classical eras. - Spain (Leader: Philip II)
Spain is a Religious Domination civilization that benefits from intercontinental trade and warfare. Philip’s fleets are stronger against players of other religions, and his Inquisitors can remove heresy one extra time. Their trade routes across continents provide bonus faith, gold, and production, fueling their quest to unite the world under one faith, by force if necessary. - Sumeria (Leader: Gilgamesh)
Sumeria is a powerful early-game civilization focused on alliances and scientific progress. Their unique War-Cart is the strongest starting unit in the game, perfect for clearing barbarians and conquering neighbors. Gilgamesh is a reliable friend, sharing pillage rewards and combat experience with allies, making him an ideal partner for joint wars.
DLC & Scenario Pack Civilizations
- Australia (Leader: John Curtin)
Australia is a defensive powerhouse that thrives when provoked. They receive a massive production bonus for 10 turns after having war declared on them or liberating a city. Their coastal cities have extra housing, and their unique Digger unit is strong on foreign soil, making them a civilization that is difficult to attack and strong on the counter-attack. - Indonesia (Leader: Dyah Gitarja)
Indonesia is a faith-focused naval civilization that excels on coastal and lake tiles. Their unique Kampung improvement provides production, housing, and food on coast or lake tiles. They can purchase naval units with Faith, and their unique Jong is a powerful classical era naval unit, allowing them to dominate the seas through religion and military might. - Khmer (Leader: Jayavarman VII)
The Khmer are masters of population growth and religious expansion. Their cities on rivers receive bonus faith, food, and housing from their unique Prasat building. Their Holy Sites trigger a “culture bomb,” grabbing adjacent tiles, and provide food when placed on a river, allowing them to grow massive cities to support a Religious Victory. - Macedon (Leader: Alexander the Great)
Macedon is a pure Domination civilization built for relentless conquest. They suffer no war weariness, meaning they can be at war for the entire game without penalty. Upon conquering a city with a wonder, all of their units heal completely. Their unique Hypaspist and Hetairoi units are incredibly powerful and support Alexander’s goal of world conquest. - Nubia (Leader: Amanitore)
Nubia is an early-game ranged-focused civilization that excels at building districts quickly. Amanitore provides a production bonus towards all districts, allowing them to establish their cities faster than any other civ. Their unique Pítati Archer is a fast and strong archer replacement, perfect for defending their homeland and conquering early neighbors. - Persia (Leader: Cyrus the Great)
Persia is a civilization built for surprise wars and a rich domestic empire. Cyrus gets a movement bonus for his units for 10 turns after declaring a surprise war and his internal trade routes are very strong. Their unique Pairidaeza improvement provides culture and gold, fueling a powerful economy that can easily support their military ambitions. - Poland (Leader: Jadwiga)
Poland is a versatile and expansionist Religious civilization. They can “culture bomb” adjacent tiles when building a Fort or an Encampment, stealing territory from their rivals. Jadwiga makes their religion more powerful by gaining bonuses from other religions, and their unique Winged Hussar is a fearsome knight replacement that pushes back defending units.
Rise and Fall Expansion
- Cree (Leader: Poundmaker)
The Cree are masters of trade and diplomacy. Poundmaker’s trade routes grant bonus resources and visibility with his allies, making him an excellent partner. Their unique Mekewap improvement provides production, housing, and gold when placed near bonus or luxury resources, fueling a strong economy for a Diplomatic or Scientific victory. - Dutch (Leader: Wilhelmina)
The Dutch are a trade-focused civilization that thrives on coastal cities and rivers. Their Grote Rivieren ability gives massive adjacency bonuses to Campuses, Theater Squares, and Industrial Zones when placed on a river. Their unique De Zeven Provinciën ship and strong trade routes make them a naval and economic force to be reckoned with. - Georgia (Leader: Tamar)
Georgia is a defensive civilization focused on religion, diplomacy, and city-state alliances. Their unique Tsikhe walls are powerful defensive structures. Tamar can declare Protectorate Wars to defend her city-state allies, earning massive faith bonuses. In a Golden Age, her dedication bonuses are doubled, allowing for powerful religious or diplomatic pushes. - Korea (Leader: Seondeok)
Korea is a premier Science Victory civilization. Their unique Seowon district replaces the Campus and must be built on hills away from other districts, but it provides a huge, fixed amount of science. Seondeok’s leader ability provides bonus culture and science every time a city establishes a governor, accelerating their path to the stars. - Mapuche (Leader: Lautaro)
The Mapuche are an anti-civilization civilization, specializing in defeating opponents who are in a Golden Age. Lautaro’s units gain combat experience and sap loyalty from enemy cities when defeating a unit from a civ in a Golden Age. Their unique Malón Raider is excellent at pillaging enemy lands, making them a powerful spoiler and domination threat. - Mongolia (Leader: Genghis Khan)
Mongolia is a lightning-fast Domination civilization based on cavalry and trade. Genghis Khan’s cavalry units are stronger and have a chance to capture enemy cavalry. His trade routes instantly create a Trading Post in the destination city and grant him diplomatic visibility and increased combat strength against that civilization, making him a terrifyingly effective conqueror. - Scotland (Leader: Robert the Bruce)
Scotland is a Science and Production civilization that benefits from happy cities. Robert the Bruce can declare a War of Liberation to free captured cities, granting a massive production and movement bonus afterwards. Their unique Golf Course improvement provides amenities and culture, keeping their population happy and productive as they race for a Science or Culture victory. - Zulu (Leader: Shaka)
The Zulu are a mid-game Domination civilization that focuses on overwhelming force through corps and armies. Shaka can form corps and armies earlier than any other civilization. Their unique Impi unit is a powerful Pikeman replacement, and once they conquer a city with a unit, it is automatically upgraded into a corps or army, creating a formidable military snowball.
Gathering Storm Expansion
- Canada (Leader: Wilfrid Laurier)
Canada is a premier Diplomatic Victory civilization that excels in cold climates. They cannot declare surprise wars but also cannot be the target of them. They generate diplomatic favor from tourism and can build farms in the tundra. Their unique Mountie unit can create National Parks, making them a late-game cultural and diplomatic force. - Hungary (Leader: Matthias Corvinus)
Hungary is a unique Domination civilization that relies on levying city-state armies. Matthias can upgrade levied units for free and they gain extra movement and combat strength. Combined with their unique Black Army unit and Huszár light cavalry, Hungary can field a massive, fast, and powerful army without having to build it from scratch. - Inca (Leader: Pachacuti)
The Inca are masters of mountains, able to work mountain tiles for production and food. They can build their unique Terrace Farm on hills for massive food yields and their road network is replaced by a system of tunnels that allows their units to instantly traverse mountain ranges. This makes their mountain start one of the strongest defensive and economic positions in the game. - Mali (Leader: Mansa Musa)
Mali is an economic and religious civilization that can generate incredible amounts of gold. While they suffer a production penalty, their cities generate massive amounts of faith and gold from mines and desert tiles. Mansa Musa’s trade routes provide extra gold for every desert tile in their origin city, allowing them to simply buy their way to a Religious or Diplomatic victory. - Maori (Leader: Kupe)
The Maori begin the game at sea, exploring the map to find the perfect, undeveloped homeland. They receive free technology and a builder upon settling their first city. They can traverse ocean tiles from the start and their buildings receive bonus yields from unimproved woods, rainforests, and fishing boats, making them a unique Culture or Domination civilization. - Ottoman (Leader: Suleiman)
The Ottomans are a Domination civilization focused on siege warfare and conquered cities. Their unique governor, Ibrahim, can be appointed to other civilizations’ cities. Their unique Janissary unit is strong but consumes a population point to train in a founded city. Conquered cities do not lose population and benefit from extra amenities, making the Ottomans skilled at holding their gains. - Phoenicia (Leader: Dido)
Phoenicia is a naval and colonial civilization that can move its capital at will. They can found cities on the coast of their home continent and immediately move their capital there for loyalty bonuses. Their unique Cothon harbor and Bireme galley allow them to dominate the early seas and establish a sprawling, loyal coastal empire. - Sweden (Leader: Kristina)
Sweden is a diplomatic and cultural force, excelling at earning Great People and Diplomatic Favor. Their unique Open-Air Museum provides loyalty and boosts tourism to cities with different terrain types. Kristina can automatically theme buildings and wonders with Great Works, and they gain Diplomatic Favor for every Great Person earned, making them a top contender for a Culture or Diplomatic victory.
New Frontier Pass
- Babylon (Leader: Hammurabi)
Babylon is a unique and challenging Science civilization that radically changes the tech tree. They only generate 50% of the normal science per turn, but every time they earn a Eureka moment, they instantly unlock the entire technology. This allows them to leapfrog centuries ahead of their opponents if they can carefully plan their Eurekas, leading to incredibly fast Science or Domination victories. - Byzantium (Leader: Basil II)
Byzantium is a holy war civilization, built for Religious Domination. Their units deal full damage to cities following the same religion as Byzantium. Their religion spreads whenever they defeat an enemy unit, and their unique Dromon ship and Tagma heavy cavalry are incredibly powerful in the early and medieval eras, allowing them to overwhelm enemies with faith and steel. - Ethiopia (Leader: Menelik II)
Ethiopia is a faith-based civilization that thrives on hills. They generate faith from improved resources and can purchase Archaeological Museums and Archaeologists with faith. Menelik II’s units gain combat strength when fighting on hills, and his cities generate science and culture equal to a percentage of their faith output, making them a flexible powerhouse. - Gaul (Leader: Ambiorix)
The Gauls are a military civilization that crowds its districts around its unique Oppidum, an Industrial Zone replacement that is unlocked early and has its own ranged strike. Their units gain combat strength when adjacent to another Gallic combat unit, encouraging them to fight in tight formations. They are a formidable force for a Domination victory. - Gran Colombia (Leader: Simón Bolívar)
Gran Colombia is a Domination civilization defined by speed. All of their units have a bonus +1 movement. Simón Bolívar gains a free Comandante General, a unique type of Great General, every time the game enters a new era. This combination of speed and military leadership makes them one of the fastest and most aggressive civilizations in the game. - Maya (Leader: Lady Six Sky)
The Maya are a defensive scientific civilization that builds a “tall” empire, gaining bonuses for keeping their cities close to their capital. They do not get a housing bonus from fresh water, but their unique Observatory (a Campus replacement) and Terrace Farms allow them to build a dense, populous, and scientifically advanced core of cities to race for a Science Victory. - Portugal (Leader: João III)
Portugal is a naval trade empire that can generate immense amounts of gold. Their trade routes can only go to coastal cities or cities with a harbor, but they receive massive bonus yields from them. Their unique Navigation School and Nau ship allow them to dominate international maritime trade, funding any victory path they choose. - Vietnam (Leader: Lady Triệu / Bà Triệu)
Vietnam is a defensive Culture and Domination civilization that excels on specific terrain features. All of their districts and buildings can only be built on Rainforest, Marsh, or Woods tiles, but they receive bonus yields for doing so. Lady Triệu’s units are stronger when fighting in these terrain types, making Vietnam an incredibly difficult civilization to invade and a threat from the shadows.