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UNCIV · TERRAIN

Terrain, Resources and Improvements

Yields, movement and defense for every tile type, plus every resource and improvement — from Unciv's data.

01

Conclusion

Everything on the map in one place: base terrain, features, natural wonders, resources and tile improvements, with yields, movement cost and defense bonus.

For combat, the useful line is simple: hills, forests and jungles give +25% defense, while marsh (−15%) and flood plains or oases (−10%) make defenders weaker. A feature's bonus replaces the base terrain's.

An analysis-based guide: this guide is based on our analysis of Unciv's Terrains, TileResources and TileImprovements data files. It describes what the data shows and is not a guarantee of results.
02

Base Terrain

TerrainYieldsMove costDefenseNotes
Ocean+1 Food, +1 Gold1——
Coast+1 Food, +1 Gold1——
Grassland+2 Food1——
Plains+1 Food, +1 Production1——
Tundra+1 Food1——
Desert—1——
Lakes+2 Food, +1 Gold1—
  • Fresh water
Mountain—Impassable+25%
  • Rough terrain
  • Units ending their turn on this terrain take 50 damage
Snow—1——
03

Terrain Features

TerrainYieldsMove costDefenseNotes
Hill+2 Production2+25%
  • Rough terrain
  • +5 Strength for cities built on this terrain
Forest+1 Food, +1 Production2+25%
  • Rough terrain
  • Provides a one-time bonus of +30 Production to the closest city when cut down ((modified by game speed))
Jungle+2 Food2+25%
  • Rough terrain
Marsh-1 Food3-15%—
Fallout—2-15%
  • Nullifies all other stats this tile provides
Oasis+3 Food, +1 Gold1-10%
  • Fresh water
  • Only All Road improvements may be built on this tile
Flood plains+2 Food1-10%—
Ice—Impassable——
Atoll+1 Food, +1 Production1——
River+1 Gold0——
04

Natural Wonders

TerrainYieldsMove costDefenseNotes
Great Barrier Reef+2 Food, +1 Production, +1 Gold, +2 ScienceImpassable——
Old Faithful+2 Science, +3 HappinessImpassable——
El Dorado+5 CultureImpassable—
  • Grants +500 Gold to the first civilization to discover it
Fountain of Youth+10 HappinessImpassable—
  • Grants Rejuvenation (all healing effects doubled) to adjacent Military Land units for the rest of the game
  • Tile provides yield without assigned population
Grand Mesa+2 Production, +3 GoldImpassable——
Mount Fuji+2 Gold, +3 Culture, +3 FaithImpassable——
Krakatoa+5 ScienceImpassable——
Rock of Gibraltar+2 Food, +5 GoldImpassable——
Cerro de Potosi+10 GoldImpassable——
Barringer Crater+2 Gold, +3 ScienceImpassable——
Mount Kailash+6 Faith, +2 HappinessImpassable——
Mount Sinai+8 FaithImpassable——
Sri Pada+2 Food, +4 Faith, +2 HappinessImpassable——
Uluru+2 Food, +6 FaithImpassable——
05

Resources

ResourceTypeYieldsImprovementExtra when improvedRevealed byFound on
BananasBonus+1 FoodPlantation+2 Food, -1 Production, -1 Gold—Jungle
CattleBonus+1 FoodPasture+1 Production—Grassland
DeerBonus+1 FoodCamp+1 Production—Forest, Tundra
FishBonus+1 FoodFishing Boats——Coast
SheepBonus+1 FoodPasture+1 Food—Hill
StoneBonus+1 ProductionQuarry+1 Production—Grassland, Desert, Tundra
WheatBonus+1 FoodFarm——Plains, Flood plains, Desert
AluminumStrategic+1 ProductionMine+1 ProductionElectricityDesert, Tundra, Hill, Snow, Jungle
CoalStrategic+1 ProductionMine+1 ProductionIndustrializationGrassland, Plains, Hill, Jungle, Forest, Marsh
HorsesStrategic+1 ProductionPasture+1 ProductionAnimal HusbandryPlains, Grassland, Hill
IronStrategic+1 ProductionMine—Iron WorkingGrassland, Plains, Desert, Tundra, Snow, Hill, Marsh
OilStrategic+1 Production—+3 ProductionBiologyDesert, Coast, Tundra, Snow, Marsh, Jungle
UraniumStrategic+1 ProductionMine+1 ProductionAtomic TheoryMarsh, Jungle, Forest, Tundra, Snow
CitrusLuxury+1 Food, +1 GoldPlantation——Jungle, Forest, Flood plains
CopperLuxury+2 GoldMine——Hill, Forest, Jungle, Grassland, Tundra
CottonLuxury+2 GoldPlantation——Grassland, Flood plains
CrabLuxury+1 Food, +1 GoldFishing Boats——Coast
DyesLuxury+2 GoldPlantation——Jungle, Forest, Marsh
FursLuxury+2 GoldCamp+1 Gold—Forest, Tundra
GemsLuxury+3 GoldMine——Jungle, Forest, Hill
Gold OreLuxury+2 GoldMine——Desert, Hill, Forest, Jungle
IncenseLuxury+2 GoldPlantation——Plains, Desert, Flood plains
IvoryLuxury+2 GoldCamp+1 Gold—Plains, Grassland
JewelryLuxury+2 Gold———
MarbleLuxury+2 GoldQuarry+1 Production—Desert, Plains, Hill, Grassland
PearlsLuxury+2 GoldFishing Boats——Coast
PorcelainLuxury+2 Gold———
SaltLuxury+1 Food, +1 GoldMine+1 Food—Desert, Tundra, Plains, Forest
SilkLuxury+2 GoldPlantation——Forest, Jungle
SilverLuxury+2 GoldMine——Hill, Forest, Jungle, Tundra, Grassland
SpicesLuxury+2 GoldPlantation——Jungle, Forest, Marsh
SugarLuxury+2 GoldPlantation——Flood plains, Grassland, Marsh
TrufflesLuxury+2 GoldCamp+1 Gold—Forest, Marsh, Jungle
WhalesLuxury+1 Food, +1 GoldFishing Boats——Coast
WineLuxury+2 GoldPlantation——Grassland, Plains
06

Tile Improvements

ImprovementTechTurnsYieldsNotes
FarmAgriculture7+1 Food
  • Can also be built on tiles adjacent to fresh water
  • +1 Food from Fresh water tiles (after discovering Civil Service)
  • +1 Food from non-fresh water tiles (after discovering Fertilizer)
Lumber millConstruction7+1 Production
  • +1 Production (after discovering Scientific Theory)
MineMining7+1 Production
  • +1 Production (after discovering Chemistry)
Trading postGuilds7+1 Gold
  • +1 Gold (after discovering Economics)
CampTrapping7—
  • Does not need removal of Forest
  • Does not need removal of Jungle
  • +1 Gold (after discovering Economics)
  • Can only be built to improve a resource
Oil wellBiology9—
  • Can only be built to improve a resource
  • Cannot be built on Water tiles
Offshore PlatformRefrigeration1—
  • Can only be built to improve a resource
  • Can only be built on Water tiles
PastureAnimal Husbandry8—
  • +1 Food (after discovering Fertilizer)
  • Can only be built to improve a resource
PlantationCalendar6+1 Gold
  • +1 Food (after discovering Fertilizer)
  • Can only be built to improve a resource
QuarryMasonry8—
  • +1 Production (after discovering Chemistry)
  • Can only be built to improve a resource
Fishing BoatsSailing1+1 Food
  • +1 Gold (after discovering Compass)
  • Can only be built to improve a resource
FortEngineering6—
  • Can be built outside your borders
  • Gives a defensive bonus of 50%
RoadThe Wheel4—
  • Can be built outside your borders
  • Costs 1 Gold per turn
RailroadRailroads4—
  • Can be built outside your borders
  • Costs 2 Gold per turn
Remove ForestMining4—
  • Can be built outside your borders
Remove JungleBronze Working7—
  • Can be built outside your borders
Remove Fallout—2—
  • Can be built outside your borders
Remove MarshMasonry6—
  • Can be built outside your borders
Remove Road—2—
  • Can be built outside your borders
Remove Railroad—2—
  • Can be built outside your borders
Repair—2—
  • Unbuildable

Data from the game's own files (Civ V: Gods & Kings ruleset that ships with Unciv), read from the source at the commit of 2026-10-02. Updates and mods can change these numbers.

07

FAQ

Why are mountains impassable?

In the base ruleset mountains block movement (Carthage can cross after its first Great General, taking 50 damage per turn ended there).

Do roads change combat?

Not directly, but road-connected tiles can remove the river-crossing penalty after the right tech.

Which resources matter most?

Strategic resources gate units; each different luxury is worth +4 happiness. See Growth and Happiness.

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Unciv Guide Combat Civilizations

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Unciv guide home · All 34 Civilizations · City Growth and Happiness · City-States: Bonuses and Quests · Combat: Damage Formula and Calculator · Difficulty Levels Explained · Early Game: Key Numbers and Ancient Ruins · Every Building: Cost, Upkeep and Effects · Every Promotion and Effect · Every Religion Belief · Every Unit's Stats by Era · Every World and National Wonder · Game Speed and Starting Era · Great People: Points and the Shared Pool · Mods: Installing and Popular Picks · Multiplayer: Playing Online · Social Policies and Policy Cost · Tech Tree: Every Tech and Unlock · Unciv vs Civilization V · Victory Conditions