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Desert is a type of base terrain in Civilization V.

Game Info[]

Base terrain found in the central parts of the world.

Strategy[]

Deserts are normally forbidding places where you should avoid settling, but they present certain unique opportunities. All of the following can only be built in a Desert tile, or in a city founded in or adjacent to one:

Farms can be built on Desert tiles, and Hills in Deserts still provide a yield of 2 Production Production. Combined with the effect of Petra, this yields a whopping +3 Production Production and +1 Food Food, creating one of the most potent terrains in the game.

Additionally, Flood Plains and Oases are only found next to or on Desert tiles (respectively). Oil Oil and Incense Incense are also found frequently in Deserts. Again, Petra helps a lot with the yield on these resources (except on Flood Plains)!

Certain civilizations, like Arabia and Morocco, are "native" to deserts and gain unique benefits from this terrain.

Civilopedia entry[]

In general, desert hexes are remarkably unuseful. They provide no benefits to cities (unless the desert contains an oasis or resource, of course, or if it has access to fresh water).

See also[]

Civilization V Terrains [edit]
Base Coast Desert Grassland Hill Mountain Ocean Plains Snow Tundra
Features Atoll Fallout Flood Plains Forest Ice Jungle Lakes Marsh Oasis Rivers
Other Ancient RuinsEncampment
See also ImprovementNatural wonderResource
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