Civilization Wiki
Register
Advertisement

BackArrowGreen Back to Terrain

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 Movement MPs to cross
  • Defense provided: +5 bonus against melee attacks coming from across the river (Ranged attacks are unaffected)
  • Additional traits:

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 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.

Gathering Storm brings a whole new level of strategy to rivers: they are now areas of one of the brand new disasters: the flood. Pay attention to the areas marked as Floodplains (they can appear now not only in deserts, but also in plains and grassland areas) - they are the ones which will flood during disasters! You can still develop them normally, but floods may damage, or even outright destroy your improvements and districts placed there! However, they will also enrich the soil, adding Food Food and/or Production Production to their base yields, and making them potentially even more useful than before! So, developing floodplains becomes a calculated risk which may bring lots of pain or rich rewards.

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 a list of river names and, where applicable, the civilization/s they are assigned to.

River Civilization Notes
Abukuma River Japan The 2nd longest river in the Tōhoku region and the 6th longest river in Japan
Achelous River Greece It formed the boundary between Acarnania and Aetolia. In ancient times its spirit was venerated as the river god Achelous.
Agno River None A river on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. It is one of the largest river systems in the country.
Alazani River Georgia The main tributary of the Kura in eastern Georgia. Part of its path forms the border between Georgia and Azerbaijan.
Amazon River Brazil The largest river by discharge volume of water in the world
Amiskwasîpi Cree Cree name of Beaver River. Flows east through Alberta and Saskatchewan and north into Lac Île-à-la-Crosse on the Churchill River which flows into Hudson Bay.
Amnok River Korea AKA "Yalu River".  A river on the border between North Korea and China.
Amu Darya River None Historically known by its Latin name "Oxus". A major river in Central Asia. Darya is Persian for "River", so it is also known as the Amu or Amo River.
Amur River China, Russia The world's 10th longest river, forming the border between the Russian Far East and Northeastern China
Apurimaq Mayu Inca Quechua name of the Apurímac River. It flows generally northwest past Cusco and is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon.
Aras River Ottomans The river that flows along the borders between Turkey and Armenia, Turkey and the Nakhchivan area of Azerbaijan, between Iran and both Azerbaijan and Armenia, and finally through Azerbaijan to the Kura River.
Arkansas River America A major tributary of the Mississippi River. The 6th longest river in the United States, the 2nd longest tributary in the Mississippi–Missouri system, and the 45th longest river in the world.
Arno River Rome A river in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the most important river of central Italy after the Tiber.
Atbarah River Nubia A river in northeast Africa rises in northwest Ethiopia, north of Lake Tana and west of Gondar. Referred by ancient authors as the Astabaras River
Athabasca River Canada A river that originates from the Columbia Glacier of the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada
Atoyac River Aztec One of two Mexican rivers. One flows into the Rio Verde, which empties into the Pacific near Laguna Chacahua, west of Puerto Escondido. The other forms part of the Río Balsas.
Awriq Mayu Inca Quechua name for the Marañón River. The principal or mainstem source of the Amazon River.
Ayung River Indonesia The longest river on the Indonesian island of Bali. The river is famous for white water rafting.
Bahr Yussef Egypt A canal which connects the Nile River with Fayyum in Egypt. In ancient times, it was known as Mer-Wer (the Great Canal). The Arabic name refers to the prophet Yusuf, the Quranic counterpart of the Biblical Joseph
Balsas River Aztec A major river of south-central Mexico. The basin flows through the states of Puebla, Morelos, Guerrero, and Mexico. The river flows through the Sierra Madre del Sur, and empties into the Pacific Ocean at Mangrove Point, adjacent to the city of Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán
Bani River Mali The pricipal tributary of the Niger River. Has three main tributaries: the Baoulé, the Bagoé River, and the Banifing-Lotio
Barada River Arabia The main river found in the city of Damascus, the capital of Syria. The Barada is identified as 'Abana' in the Bible, which is the more important of the two rivers of Damascus, Syria and was mentioned in the Book of Kings (2 Kings 5:12).
Barito River Indonesia A river of Borneo. This river is the location of the closest relative of the Malagasy language of Madagascar, the Ma'anyan language of Dayaks, from where settlers arrived in Madagascar from the 3rd to 10th century
Bassac River Khmer The river starts in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and flows southerly, crossing the border into Vietnam near Châu Đốc. In Vietnam it is known as the Hậu River
Batanghari River Indonesia The longest river in the Jambi province, Sumatra island, Indonesia, about 600 km northwest of the capital of Jakarta.
Beirut River Phoenicia A river in Lebanon. According to popular legend, St. George slew the dragon in a spot near the mouth of the river. In antiquity, the river was known as Magoras, and it was the site of the worship of the god of Heliopolis.
Bengawan Solo River Indonesia The longest river in the Indonesian island of Java. it is a renowned region in paleoanthropology. Many discoveries of early hominid remains have been made at several sites in its valleys, including that of the first early human fossil found outside of Europe, the "Java Man" skull
Bio-Bio River Mapuche The 2nd largest river in Chile. It originates from Icalma and Galletué lakes in the Andes and flows to the Gulf of Arauco on the Pacific Ocean
Brahmaputra River India One of the major rivers of Asia, a trans-boundary river which flows through China, India, and Bangladesh.
Brisbane River Australia The longest river in South East Queensland, Australia, and flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay. John Oxley, the first European to explore the river, named it after the Governor of New South Wales, Sir Thomas Brisbane in 1823
Bug River Poland A tributary of the Narew River, the Bug River forms a part of the border between Ukraine and Poland and the border between Belarus and Poland for and is the 4th longest Polish river.
Bukhan River Korea A tributary of the Han River that flows through both North and South Korea. It traverses Kangwon province in North Korea and Gangwon and Gyeonggi provinces in South Korea.
Chinchipe River Inca A river on the border between Ecuador and Peru. The river originates in Ecuador. In Ecuador and Peru, the river is also known as Canananbo, Chuquimayo, or Mayo. The river flows into the Maranon River.
Coatzacoalcos River Aztec A large river that feeds mainly the south part of the state of Veracruz; According to Mesoamerican legend, the god Quetzalcoatl was aboard a raft made of a serpent skin and navigated until getting lost into the horizon.
Colorado River America One of the principal rivers in the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The river drains an expansive watershed that encompasses parts of 7 U.S. and 2 Mexican states.
Columbia River Canada, America The largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America.
Congo River Kongo Formerly known as the Zaire River, is the 2nd longest river in Africa, as well as the 2nd largest river in the world by discharge volume. It is also the world's deepest recorded river.
Cooper Creek Australia One of the most famous rivers in Australia because it was the site of the death of the explorers Burke and Wills in 1861. Also known as the Barcoo River from one of its tributaries and is 1 of 3 major Queensland river systems that flow into the Lake Eyre basin.
Dal River Sweden A river in central Sweden that flows from the north of Dalarna and runs into the sea in northern Uppland; it is commonly considered to be the southern border of Norrland.
Damietta River Egypt Also known as Damiata, or Domyat, is a port and the capital of the Damietta Governorate in Egypt, a former bishopric and present multiple Catholic titular see.
Danube River Hungary, Germany Europe's second longest river, after the Volga. It is located in Central and Eastern Europe. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for passing through or bordering Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, 

Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine before draining into the Black Sea.

Darling River Australia The 3rd longest river in Australia. Including its longest contiguous tributaries, it is the longest river system in Australia.

The Darling River is also the outback's most famous waterway.

Daugava River Russia A river rising in the Valdai Hills, flowing through Russia, Belarus, and Latvia and into the Gulf of Riga
Delaware River America A major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States. It drains in five U.S. states: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania. It is most famous for when President George Washington crossed the river the night of Christmas to engage the Battle of Trenton
Diyala River Sumer A river and tributary of the Tigris. It is formed by the confluence of Sirwan river and Tanjero river in Darbandikhan Dam in the Sulaymaniyah Governorate of Northern Iraq.
Dnieper River Russia
Dniester River None
Don River Russia, Scythia
Douro River Spain
Dunajec River Poland
Ebro River Spain
Elbe River Germany
Enguri River Georgia
Euphrates River Arabia, Sumer
Eurotas River Greece
River Forth Scotland
Fraser River Canada
Gambia River Mali
Ganges River India
Geum River Korea
Glomma River Norway
Godavari River India
Great Zab River Sumer
Guadalquivir River Spain
Guadiana River Spain
Gudbrandsdalslågen Norway
Hai River China
Haliacmon River Macedon, Greece
Han River Korea
Hutt River Australia
IJssel River Netherlands
Imjin River Korea
Indal River Sweden
Indus River India
Inkisi River Kongo
Irrawaddy River None
Ishikari River Japan
Itata River Mapuche
Jājrūd River Persia
Jordan River Phoenicia, Arabia
Júcar River Spain
Kapuas River Indonesia
Karkheh River Persia
Karun River Persia
Kasai River Kongo
Kātēpwēwi-sīpī Cree
Kaveri River India
Kawarau River Māori
Kawatiri River Māori
Kerülen River Mongolia
Khabur River Sumer
Kisiskāciwani-sīpiy Cree, Canada
Kitakami River Japan
Kızılırmak River Ottomans
Klara River Sweden
Körös River Hungary
Kshipra River India
Kura River Georgia
Lek River Netherlands
Lena River Russia
Limpopo River Zulu
Litani River Phoenicia
Loire River France
Lule River Sweden
Mackenzie River Canada
Madeira River Brazil
Mahakam River Indonesia
Maipo River Mapuche, Inca
Mamberamo River Indonesia
Mantō-sīpiy Cree
Mapocho River Mapuche
Mareb River Nubia
Maritsa River Greece
Mata-Au River Māori
Maule River Mapuche, Inca
Medjerda River Phoenicia
Mekong River Khmer
Meuse River Netherlands, France
Mississippi River America
Missouri River America
Mixteco River Aztec
Mogami River Japan
Mtkvari River Georgia
Murat River Ottomans
Murray River Australia
Murrumbidgee River Australia
Musi River Indonesia
Nakdong River Korea
Narew River Poland
Narmada River India
Nestos River Greece
Niger River Mali
Nile River Nubia, Arabia, Egypt
Northern Dvina Russia
Noteć River Poland
Numedal River Norway
Ob River Russia
Ochekwi-Sipi Cree
Oder River Poland, Germany
Ofanto River Rome
Ohio River America
Okavango River None
Orange River None
Orinoco River None
Orkhon River Mongolia
Orontes River Phoenicia
Otra River Norway
Papaloapan River Aztec
Paraguay River None
Paraná River Brazil
Paroo River Australia
Pearl River China
Po River Rome
Potomac River America
Powinigow Sipi Cree, Canada
Putumayu Inca
Rába River Hungary
Rakaia River Māori
Rangatikei River Māori
Rauma River Norway
Red River None
Rhine River Netherlands, Germany, France
Rhone River France
Rio Grande America
Río Negro Brazil
Rioni River Georgia
River Avon England
River Clyde Scotland
River Dee Scotland
River Eden England
River Great Ouse England
River Severn England
River Spey Scotland
River Tay Scotland
River Tees England
River Trent England
River Welland England
Rosetta River Egypt
Rubicon River Rome
Saint Lawrence River Canada, America
Sakarya River Ottomans
Salween River China
San River Poland
Sankarani River Mali
Sankuru River Kongo
São Francisco River Brazil
Saraswati River India
Scheldt River Netherlands
Se Kong River Khmer
Sefīd River Persia
Seine River France
Senegal River Mali
Seomjin River Korea
Shinano River Japan
Songhua River China
Srepok River Khmer
Struma River Macedon, Greece
Susquehanna River America
Syr Darya River Scythia
Tagus River Spain
Tapiskwan Sipi Cree
Tarim River China
Te Awakairangi Māori
Tehuantepec River Aztec
Tenryu River Japan
Teshio River Japan
River Thames England
Tiber River Rome
Tigris River Sumer, Arabia
Tisza River Hungary
Tocantins River Brazil
Toltén River Mapuche
Tonalá River Aztec
Tone River Japan
Tongariro River Māori
Tonlé San River Khmer
Tonlé Sap River Khmer
Torne River Sweden
Truful-Truful River Mapuche
Tshuapa River Kongo
Tugela River Zulu
Tuul River Mongolia
Ucayali River Inca
Umfolozi River Zulu
Umzimkulu River Zulu
uMzinyathi River Zulu
Ural River Russia, Scythia
Vardar River Macedon
Vistula River Poland
Volga River Russia, Scythia
Waal River Netherlands
Wadi Al-Batin Arabia
Wadi al-Rummah Arabia
Wadi Hanifa Arabia
Waiapu River Māori
Waiau River Māori
Waikato River Māori
Waimakariri River Māori
Waitaki River Māori
Wallaqa Mayu Inca
Warrego River Australia
Warta River Poland
Wazalafken River Mapuche
Wei River China
Weser River Germany
Whanganui River Māori
Willkamayu Inca
Wisłoka River Poland
Wuskwi Sipi Cree
Yamuna River India
Yangtze River China
Yellow River China
Yenisei River Mongolia, Russia
Yeşilırmak River Ottomans
Yukon River Canada, America
Zagyva River Hungary
Zambezi River None Unclear
Zavkhan River Mongolia
Zāyandé River Persia
Advertisement