List of improvements in Civ5

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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
Farm	Plains, Grassland, Desert Hill and Tundra with fresh water Bonuses: Wheat	+1 +1 with Civil Service (fresh water) +1 with Fertilizer (non-fresh water)
Fort	Plains, Grassland, Hill, Desert, Tundra, Snow	+50% Defense
Lumber Mill	Forest	+1 +1 with Scientific Theory Does not remove Forest
Mine	Hill Strategic: Iron, Coal, Aluminum, Uranium Luxuries: Gold, Silver, Copper, Gems, Salt	+1 +1 on Salt +1 with Chemistry +1 on Coal, Aluminum, Uranium
Trading Post	Plains, Grassland, Hill, Desert, Tundra	+1 +1 with Economics +1 with Commerce policy finisher +1 with Free Thought policy 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
Roads	-1 upkeep per turn x2 movement speed (x3 with Machinery) +1.25 per city population for a city connected to the Capital
Railroads	-2 upkeep per turn x3 movement speed (minimum speed 10 hexes/turn) +25% bonus for a city connected to the Capital

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
Camp	Bonuses: Deer, Bison Luxuries: Furs, Truffles, Ivory	+1 on Luxuries +1 on Deer, Bison +1 with Economics Does not remove Forest
Fishing Boats	Bonuses: Fish Luxuries: Whales, Crabs, Pearls	+1 on Fish, Whales, Crabs +1 on Pearls +1 with Compass
Offshore Platform  Oil Well	Strategic: Oil	+3
Pasture	Bonuses: Sheep, Cattle Strategic: Horses	+1 on Horses, Cattle +1 on Sheep +1 with Fertilizer
Plantation	Bonuses: Bananas Luxuries: Incense, Wine, Cotton, Dyes, Sugar, Spices, Silk, Citrus, Cocoa	+1 on Luxuries +2 , -1 on Bananas (must remove Jungle) +1 with Fertilizer
Quarry	Bonuses: Stone Luxuries: Marble	+1 +1 with Chemistry

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
Academy	Great Scientist	+8 +2 with Scientific Theory +2 with Atomic Theory
Citadel	Great General	+100% Defense Damages all enemy units that end their turn adjacent 33% of their Health Annexes all nearby tiles into your empire's territory when built (must be constructed on a tile in or bordering your own territory)
Customs House	Great Merchant	+4 +1 with Economics
Holy Site	Great Prophet	+6 +3 with Theocracy +3 with Piety finisher
Landmark	Great Artist (vanilla and ) Archaeologist ()	+6 (vanilla and ) +1 for each Era of age of the Archaeological site ()
Manufactory	Great Engineer	+4 +1 with Chemistry

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
Brazilwood Camp	Brazil	Jungle	Does not remove Jungle +2 +2 with Acoustics
Chateau	France	Next to a Luxury, but not next to another Chateau	+1 +2 +50% Defense +2 and +1 with Flight
Feitoria	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
Kasbah	Morocco	Desert	+1 +1 +1 +50% Defense
Moai	Polynesia	Coastal territory	+1 +1 per adjacent Moai +1 with Flight
Polder	Netherlands	Marsh, Flood Plains	+3 +1  and +2 with Economics
Terrace Farm	Inca	Hill	+1 +1 per adjacent Mountain +1 with Civil Service (on fresh water tiles) +1 with Fertilizer (on non-fresh water tiles)