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Tile improvements are buildings or installations constructed in terrain outside of cities, generally by Workers. Each improvement changes the properties of the tile where it's built, usually adding potential such as tile yields to it. Improvements are unlocked via certain technologies.
Improvements built on certain strategic and luxury resources are required for an empire to access the resources' special properties.
Mechanics[]
With the exception of Great Tile Improvements, most improvements can be built by a Worker (or a Work Boat at sea), given the appropriate technology and provided that the tile meets the requirements. Improvements remove forests and jungles unless otherwise specified (notably the Trading Post and Camp). Building with a Worker requires several turns, while the Work Boat finishes the improvement instantaneously.
Improvements are susceptible to pillaging by enemies, including Barbarians. When any improvement is pillaged, it will be inactive until repaired by a Worker (including Great Tile Improvements).
Improvement yields, which include both relevant increases depending on the resource as well as bonuses from appropriate technologies such as Fertilizer, will be added to the base terrain yield combined with increased yields from the resource itself (yields provided when worked by a city).
There are some improvements only available to certain civilizations. And finally, there are certain improvements that can only be built by using Great People. This article lists all improvements in Civilization V.
Standard Improvements[]
These improvements can be built by a worker anywhere there is appropriate terrain. Some may also connect resources.
Tile improvements | Built on | Effect |
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Plains, Grassland, Desert Hill and Tundra with fresh water Bonuses: ![]() |
+1 ![]() +1 ![]() +1 ![]() |
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Plains, Grassland, Hill, Desert, Tundra, Snow | +50% Defense |
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Forest | +1 ![]() +1 ![]() Does not remove Forest |
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Hill Strategic: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Luxuries: Gold, ![]() |
+1 ![]() +1 ![]() ![]() +1 ![]() +1 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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Plains, Grassland, Hill, Desert, Tundra | +1 ![]() +1 ![]() +1 ![]() +1 ![]() Does not remove Forest or Jungle |
Transportation Improvements[]
These improvements can be built on any passable land tile, including outside your own territory. They can be built alongside any other improvement, and do not remove forests or jungles.
Tile improvements | Effect |
---|---|
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-1 ![]() x2 movement speed (x3 with Machinery) +1.25 ![]() |
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-2 ![]() x3 movement speed (minimum speed 10 hexes/turn) +25% ![]() |
Resource Improvements[]
These improvements can only be built on an appropriate resource. Both luxury and strategic resources will be connected. Mine excepted, these improvements are the only way to connect Luxuries.
Tile improvements | Built on | Effect |
---|---|---|
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Bonuses: ![]() Luxuries: ![]() ![]() ![]() |
+1 ![]() +1 ![]() ![]() +1 ![]() Does not remove Forest |
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Bonuses: ![]() Luxuries: Whales, Crabs, ![]() |
+1 ![]() ![]() +1 ![]() ![]() +1 ![]() |
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Strategic: ![]() |
+3 ![]() |
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Bonuses: ![]() ![]() Strategic: ![]() |
+1 ![]() ![]() ![]() +1 ![]() ![]() +1 ![]() |
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Bonuses: ![]() Luxuries: ![]() ![]() |
+1 ![]() +2 ![]() ![]() ![]() +1 ![]() |
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Bonuses: ![]() Luxuries: ![]() |
+1 ![]() +1 ![]() |
Great Tile Improvements[]
These improvements are built by Great People, with the exception of the Landmark in Brave New World. All great tile improvements can be built on any passable land terrain type. With regard to resources, they will only connect any strategic resources on the tile. While they get additional bonus yield from technology, they do not get an increase from the type of strategic resource. They do not have any effect on luxuries nor bonus resources.
Great tile improvements | Built by | Effect |
---|---|---|
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Great Scientist | +8 ![]() +2 ![]() +2 ![]() |
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Great General | +100% Defense Damages all enemy units that end their turn adjacent 33% of their Health ![]() |
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Great Merchant | +4 ![]() +1 ![]() |
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Great Prophet | +6 ![]() +3 ![]() +3 ![]() |
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Great Artist (vanilla and ![]() Archaeologist ( ![]() |
+6 ![]() ![]() +1 ![]() ![]() |
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Great Engineer | +4 ![]() +1 ![]() |
Valid only in the Gods & Kings expansion pack.
Valid only in the Brave New World expansion pack.
Unique Tile Improvements[]
These improvements are only available to certain civilizations, but do not replace a generic one. Unique Improvements are not used to connect any resources (for example, a Brazilwood Camp may not be placed on Bananas).
Unique tile improvements | Unique to | Built on | Effect |
---|---|---|---|
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Brazil | Jungle | Does not remove Jungle +2 ![]() +2 ![]() |
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France | Next to a Luxury, but not next to another Chateau | +1 ![]() +2 ![]() +50% Defense +2 ![]() ![]() |
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Portugal | City-State coastal territory (No Resource on the tile) | 1 copy of each of the City-State's Luxuries +50% Defense Pillaging counts as an act of war |
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Morocco | Desert | +1 ![]() +1 ![]() +1 ![]() +50% Defense |
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Polynesia | Coastal territory | +1 ![]() +1 ![]() +1 ![]() |
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Netherlands | Marsh, Flood Plains | +3 ![]() +1 ![]() ![]() |
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Inca | Hill | +1 ![]() +1 ![]() +1 ![]() +1 ![]() |
Civilization V [edit] |
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Gods & Kings • Brave New World |
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