There are 43 civilizations in Civ5, each with its own leader and unique unit. In addition, every leader has a semi-unique “personality”, consisting of traits that determine their in-game behavior.
For example, Elizabeth of the English, a historical naval power, emphasizes a pursuit of naval dominance and the choices she makes reflects this desire. However, in order to prevent leaders from becoming too-predictable, these traits have the potential to be changed slightly and weighted differently before a new game begins, keeping diplomacy fresh.
| Image | Civilization | Image | Leader | Unique Ability | Unique Unit | Unique Component #2 |
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America |  |
Washington | Manifest Destiny: All land military units have +1 sight. 50% discount when purchasing tiles. | B17 | Minuteman |
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Arabia |  |
Harun al-Rashid | Ships of the Desert: Caravans gain 50% extended range. Your trade routes spread the home city’s religion twice as effectively. Oil resources are doubled. | Camel Archer | Bazaar |
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Assyria (BNW) |  |
Ashurbanipal | Treasures of Nineveh: When a city is conquered, gain a free Technology already discovered by its owner. Gaining a city through a trade deal does not count, and it can only happen once per enemy city. | Siege Tower | Royal Library |
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Austria (G&K) |  |
Maria Theresa | Diplomatic Marriage: Can spend Gold to annex or puppet a City-State that has been your ally for 5 turns. | Hussar | Coffee House |
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Aztecs |  |
Montezuma | Sacrificial Captives: Gains Culture for the empire from each enemy unit killed. | Jaguar | Floating Gardens |
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Babylon (DLC) |  |
Nebuchadnezzar II | Ingenuity: Receive free Great Scientist when you discover Writing. Earn Great Scientists 50% faster. | Bowman | Walls of Babylon |
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Brazil (BNW) |  |
Pedro II | Carnival: Tourism output is +100% during their Golden Ages. Earn Great Artists, Musicians, and Writers 50% faster during their Golden Ages. | Pracinha | Brazilwood Camp |
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Byzantium (G&K) |  |
Theodora | Patriarchate of Constantinople: Choose one more Belief than normal when you found a Religion. | Cataphract | Dromon |
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Carthage (G&K) |  |
Dido | Phoenician Heritage: All coastal Cities get a free Harbor. Units may cross mountains after the first Great General is earned, taking 50 HP damage if they end a turn on a mountain. | African Forest Elephant | Quinquereme |
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Celts (G&K) |  |
Boudicca | Druidic Lore:+1 Faith per city with an adjacent unimproved Forest. Bonus increases to +2 Faith in Cities with 3 or more adjacent unimproved Forest tiles. | Pictish Warrior | Ceilidh Hall |
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China |  |
Wu Zetian | Art of War: The Great General combat bonus is increased by 15%, and their spawn rate is increased by 50%. | Chu-Ko-Nu | Paper Maker |
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Denmark (DLC) |  |
Harald Bluetooth | Viking Fury: Embarked units have +1 Movement and pay just 1 movement point to move from sea to land. Melee units pay no movement point cost to pillage. | Berserker | Norwegian Ski Infantry |
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Egypt |  |
Ramesses II | Monument Builders: +20% Production towards Wonder construction. | War Chariot | Burial Tomb |
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England |  |
Elizabeth | Sun Never Sets: +2 Movement for all naval units. Receives 1 extra Spy. | Longbowman | Ship of the Line |
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Ethiopia (G&K) |  |
Haile Selassie | Spirit of Adwa: Combat bonus (+20%) when fighting units from a Civilization with more Cities than Ethiopia. | Mehal Sefari | Stele |
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France |  |
Napoleon | City of Light: Museum and World Wonder theming bonuses are doubled in their capital. | Musketeer | Chateau |
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Germany |  |
Bismarck | Furor Teutonicus: Upon defeating a Barbarian unit inside an encampment, there is a 67% chance you earn 25 Gold and they join your side. Pay 25% less for land unit maintenance. | Panzer | Hanse |
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Greece |  |
Alexander | Hellenic League: City-State Influence degrades at half and recovers at twice the normal rate. | Companion Cavalry | Hoplite |
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Huns (G&K) |  |
Attila | Scourge of God: Raze Cities at double speed. Borrow City names from other in-game Civs. Start with Animal Husbandry technology. +1 Production per Pasture. | Horse Archer | Battering Ram |
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Inca (DLC) |  |
Pachacuti | Great Andean Road: Units ignore terrain costs when moving into any tile with Hills. No maintenance costs for improvements in Hills; half cost elsewhere. | Slinger | Terrace Farm |
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India |  |
Gandhi | Population Growth: Unhappiness from number of Cities doubled, Unhappiness from number of Citizens halved. | War Elephant | Mughal Fort |
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Indonesia (BNW) |  |
Gajah Mada | Spice Islanders: The first 3 cities founded on continents other than where Indonesia started each provide 2 unique Luxury Resources (and can never be razed). | Kris Swordsman | Candi |
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Iroquois |  |
Hiawatha | The Great Warpath: Units move through Forest and Jungle in friendly territory as if they were Roads. These tiles can be used to establish City Connections upon researching The Wheel. Caravans move along Forest and Jungle as if they were Roads. | Mohawk Warrior | Longhouse |
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Japan |  |
Oda Nobunaga | Bushido: Units fight as though they were at full strength even when damaged. +1 Culture from each Fishing Boat and +2 Culture from each Atoll | Samurai | Zero |
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Korea (DLC) |  |
Sejong | Scholars of the Jade Hall: +2 science for all specialists and for all Great Person tile improvements. Receive a tech boost each time a scientific building/Wonder is built in the Korean capital. | Turtle Ship | Hwach’a |
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Maya (G&K) |  |
Pacal | The Long Count: After researching Theology, receive a bonus Great Person at the end of every Maya Long Count calendar cycle (every 394 years). Each bonus person can only be chosen once. | Atlatlist | Pyramid |
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Mongolia (DLC) |  |
Genghis Khan | Mongol Terror: Combat Strength +30% when fighting City-State units or attacking a City-State itself. All mounted units have +1 Movement. | Keshik | Khan |
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Morocco (BNW) |  |
Ahmad al-Mansur | Gateway to Africa: Receives +3 Gold and +1 Culture for each Trade Route with a different civ or City-State. The Trade Route owners receive +2 Gold for each Trade Route sent to Morocco. | Berber Cavalry | Kasbah |
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Netherlands (G&K) |  |
William | Dutch East India Company: Retains 50% of the Happiness benefits from a Luxury Resource if your last copy of it is traded away. | Sea Beggar | Polder |
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Ottomans |  |
Suleiman | Barbary Corsairs: All melee naval units have the Prize Ships promotion, allowing them to capture defeated ships. Pay only one-third the usual cost for naval unit maintenance. | Janissary | Sipahi |
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Persia |  |
Darius I | Achaemenid Legacy: Golden Ages last 50% longer. During a Golden Age, units recieve +1 Movement and a +10% Combat Strength bonus. | Immortal | Satrap’s Court |
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Poland (BNW) |  |
Casimir III | Solidarity: Receive a free Social Policy at the start of each new Era. | Winged Hussar | Ducal Stable |
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Polynesia (DLC) |  |
Kamehameha | Wayfinding: Can embark and move over Oceans immediately. +1 Sight when embarked. +10% Combat Strength bonus if within 2 tiles of a Moai. | Maori Warrior | Moai |
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Portugal (BNW) |  |
Maria I | Mare Clausum: Resource diversity grants twice as much Gold for Portugal in International Trade Routes. | Nau | Feitoria |
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Rome |  |
Augustus Caesar | The Glory of Rome: +25% Production towards any buildings that already exist in the Capital. | Ballista | Legion |
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Russia |  |
Catherine | Siberian Riches: Strategic Resources provide +1 Production and Horse, Iron and Uranium Resources provide double quantity. | Cossack | Krepost |
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Shoshone (BNW) |  |
Pocatello | Great Expanse: Founded cities start with additional territory. Units receive a combat bonus when fighting in their own territory. | Pathfinder | Comanche Riders |
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Siam |  |
Ramkhamhaeng | Father Governs Children: Food, Culture and Faith from friendly City-States increased by 50%. | Naresuan’s Elephant | Wat |
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Songhai |  |
Askia | River Warlord: Receive triple Gold from Barbarian encampments and pillaging Cities. Land units gain the War Canoe and Amphibious promotions, strengthening them while embarked. | Mandekalu Cavalry | Mud Pyramid Mosque |
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Spain (DLC) |  |
Isabella | Seven Cities of Gold: Gold bonus for discovering a Natural Wonder (bonus enhanced if first to discover it). Culture, happiness, and tile yields from Natural Wonders doubled. | Tercio | Conquistador |
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Sweden (G&K) |  |
Gustavus Adolphus | Nobel Prize: Gain 90 Influence with a Great Person gift to a City-State. When declaring friendship, Sweden and their friend gain a +10% boost to Great Person generation. | Hakkapeliitta | Carolean |
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Venice (BNW) |  |
Enrico Dandolo | Serenissima: Cannot gain settlers nor annex cities. Double the normal number of Trade Routes available. A Merchant of Venice appears after researching Optics. May purchase in puppeted cities. | Merchant of Venice | Great Galleass |
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Zulus (BNW) |  |
Shaka | Iklwa: Melee units cost 50% less maintenance; all military units require 25% less XP to earn a promotion. | Impi | Ikanda |