A River is a type of terrain feature in Civilization VI. It exists almost everywhere in the world, and runs between tiles. It always ends in a body of Water.
- Yields: Nothing
- Movement needed: 3
Movement MPs to cross - Defense provided: +5 bonus against melee attacks coming from across the river (Ranged attacks are unaffected)
- Additional traits:
- Provides Fresh Water to nearby tiles
- Can provide Fresh Water via an Aqueduct
- Cities near it can construct the Water Mill building
- The Lumber Mill Improvement receives a +1
Production bonus if next to a River - +1 Appeal to nearby tiles
- Provides +2 Adjacency bonus to Commercial Hub Districts
- River Goddess Pantheon: +1
Amenities Amenity for cities which have a Holy Site District near a River.
Strategy
Rivers are invaluable for city settlement, as they supply fresh water and enable the Water Mill (and various wonders) to be built. With it, any city may get a good start at growing and producing as early as the Ancient Era! An Aqueduct built next to it will also supply a nearby city with Fresh Water for 
Housing Housing purposes.
But rivers do more than that. They provide a bulwark against invasions for any commander that knows how to use them; they turn Deserts into paradise by enabling the Floodplains feature; elsewhere they allow improved farming with the Civil Engineering Civic; they improve commerce thanks to the additional transport opportunities they provide for merchants.
Finally, you may use a River as means of finding the nearest sea in your early exploration. Every river flows from its source to either another river, or to a large body of water - just follow the flow direction.
River Names
Gathering Storm introduced a new mechanic in which Rivers can have different names based on the first civilization that finds them. Below is the list of the names and civilization of origin.
| River | Civilization | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Amur River | Russia | The tenth longest river in the world. It flows through China and Russia. |
| Apurimaq Mayu | Inca | |
| Bhramaputra
River |
India | |
| Columbia River | Canada | |
| Dal River | Sweden | |
| Danube River | Hungary | Second largest river in Europe |
| Delaware River | America | American river that goes through 5 states. Most known for being the river traveled by 1st President, George Washington, to begin the Battle of Trenton during the American Revolution. |
| Don River | Russia | |
| Douro River | Spain | Third longest river in Iberia. It springs in Soria, northeastern Castilla y León, and its outlet is in Porto, northern Portugal. Douro is the Portuguese spelling, the Spanish spelling would be Duero. |
| Glomma River | Norway | |
| Hai River | China | |
| Halicamon River | Macedon | |
| Indus River | India | |
| Jordan River | Phoenicia | |
| Kawarau River | Maori | A fast-flowing river draining Lake Wakatipu in the South Island, and ending at Lake Dunstan. Maori followed the river to collect pounamu (greenstone), and European settlers sifted the waters for gold. Today it is famous for adventure tourism, as the setting for bungy jumping and kayaking. |
| Kawatiri River | Maori | A river flowing west from the Southern Alps to the Tasman Sea. Known today as the Buller River. |
| Limpopo River | Zulu | |
| Litani River | Phoenicia | |
| Loire River | France | |
| Mackenzie River | Canada | |
| Mata-Au River | Maori | The second-longest river in New Zealand, flowing southeast from the Southern Alps to the Pacific Ocean. Once a focus of Otago's gold rush era, it is better known today as the Clutha River. |
| Mixteco River | Aztec | |
| Niger River | Mali | |
| Nile River | Egypt | |
| Okavango River | Kongo | A river in southwest Africa that begins in Angola where it has the Portuguese name Rio Cubango and flows into Botswana. |
| Orontes River | Phonecia | |
| Potomac River | America | River settled close to the of the United States, Washington D.C |
| Powinogow Sipi | Cree | |
| Rubicon River | Rome | |
| Saint Lawrence River | Canada | |
| Sao Francisco River | Brazil | |
| Shinano River | Japan | |
| Struma River | Macedon | |
| Syr Darya River | Scythia | |
| Tarim River | China | |
| Thames River | England | Thames is a river that flows through the south of England. It is the second longest river in the UK. |
| Ucayali River | Inca | |
| Vardar River | Macedon | |
| Vistula River | Poland | |
| Volga River | Russia | |
| Waikato River | Maori | The longest river in New Zealand, flowing north from Mt Ruapehu to Port Waikato into the Tasman Sea. The Waikato Region is named after this river, translating as "flowing water". |
| Waitaki River | Maori | A braided river flowing from the Southern Alps to the Pacific Ocean, and traditionally used as a border between the provinces of Canterbury and Otago. |
| Willkamayu | Inca | |
| Yangtze River | China | |
| Yellow River | China | |
| Yukon River | Canada |