City-state guide
48 city-statesEvery city-state grouped by type. Each entry summarises the suzerain bonus in our own words, based on the game data.
Scientific
- Anshan+2 Science from each Great Work of Writing you have, and +1 Science from each Relic and Artifact.
- BolognaEach of your districts that has at least one building generates +1 Great Person point of its own type (Theater Squares give Writer, Artist and Musician points).
- FezThe first time you convert a city with a religious unit, gain 20 Science per Population of that city (standard speed).
- GenevaYour cities earn +15% Science while you are not at war with any civilization.
- HattusaEach strategic resource you have revealed but not yet improved supplies you 2 per turn.
- NalandaBuilders can construct the Mahavihara: +2 Science, +1 Housing, +1 Faith per adjacent Holy Site and +1 Science per adjacent Campus (another after Scientific Theory). Your first one grants a random technology. Flat terrain only, not next to another Mahavihara.
- PalenqueCities with a Campus grow 15% faster.
- TarugaEach city gains +5% Science for every different improved strategic resource it has.
Cultural
- AntananarivoEach Great Person you have ever earned grants +2% Culture, stacking up to +30%.
- AyutthayaWhenever a city finishes a building, you gain Culture equal to 10% of its production cost.
- CaguanaBuilders can construct the Batey: +1 Culture, +1 Culture per adjacent bonus resource and Entertainment Complex (doubled after Exploration), and Tourism after Flight. Cannot sit next to another Batey.
- KumasiTrade routes you send to any city-state earn +2 Culture and +1 Gold for each specialty district in the origin city.
- Mohenjo-DaroAll your cities get full Housing from water, as if every city were next to a river.
- Nan MadolYour districts placed on or next to Coast or Lake tiles earn +2 Culture.
- Rapa NuiBuilders can construct the Moai: +1 Culture, +1 per 2 adjacent Moai, +2 on or next to Volcanic Soil, +1 next to Coast or Lake, and more Culture and Tourism as civics and techs advance. Cannot be placed next to Woods or Rainforest.
- VilniusWhile you hold the highest active Alliance level, all your Theater Squares get +50% adjacency bonus.
Militaristic
- AkkadYour melee and anti-cavalry units deal full damage to city walls instead of the usual reduced amount.
- GranadaBuilders can construct the Alcázar: +2 Culture, Science equal to half the tile's Appeal, +4 Defense and instant fortification for the unit on it, and Tourism after Flight. Cannot sit next to another Alcázar.
- KabulYour units earn double experience from battles they start.
- LahoreYour cities can train Nihang, a faith-purchasable unit with its own promotion tree that grows stronger as you first build a Barracks, Armory and Military Academy.
- NgazargamuBuying land combat or support units with Gold is 20% cheaper for each Encampment building in that city.
- PreslavEach Encampment building grants its city +2 Loyalty per turn.
- VallettaCity Center and Encampment buildings can be bought with Faith. Ancient, Medieval and Renaissance Walls become cheaper — but Faith is the only way to buy them.
- WolinWhen your land unit kills another civilization's or city-state's unit you gain Great General points — naval kills give Great Admiral points — equal to 25% of the defeated unit's strength (standard speed).
Industrial
- AucklandShallow water tiles you own gain +1 Production, and +1 more once you reach the Industrial era.
- BrusselsYour cities get +15% Production when building wonders.
- Buenos AiresYour bonus resources count as luxuries: each type provides 1 Amenity.
- CardiffEvery Harbor building you own gives its city +2 Power.
- Hong KongYour cities get +20% Production toward city projects.
- JohannesburgCities gain +1 Production for each type of resource they have improved, rising to +2 after you research Industrialization.
- Mexico CityRegional effects from your Industrial Zones, Water Parks and Entertainment Complexes reach 3 tiles farther.
- SingaporeYour cities receive +2 Production for each foreign civilization they have a trade route to.
Religious
- ArmaghBuilders can construct the Monastery: +2 Faith, +1 Housing (another after Colonialism), +1 Faith per 2 adjacent districts, and it heals a resting religious unit on the tile by 15 HP. Cannot sit next to another Monastery.
- ChinguettiYour trade routes (domestic and international) earn +1 Faith for each follower of your founded or majority religion in the origin city.
- JerusalemYour cities with a Holy Site spread religion as if they were Holy Cities — quadruple pressure on cities within 10 tiles.
- KandyYou receive a Relic each time you discover a natural wonder, and all your Relics yield +50% Faith.
- La VentaBuilders can construct the Colossal Head: +2 Faith, more Faith from adjacent Woods and Rainforest (improved after Humanism), and its Faith converts to Tourism after Flight. Cannot be built on Snow.
- NazcaBuilders can construct the Nazca Line on flat Desert: +1 Faith to adjacent tiles (+1 more if they hold a resource), later Food for adjacent Desert and Production for adjacent flat tiles, +1 Appeal. The Line's own tile cannot be worked.
- Vatican CityActivating a Great Person spreads 400 religious pressure of your founded or majority religion to cities within 10 tiles.
- YerevanYour Apostles pick any promotion they qualify for instead of drawing one at random.
Trade
- CahokiaBuilders can construct the Cahokia Mound: +3 Gold, +1 Housing (more with later civics), an Amenity from your first Mound (second after Natural History), and Food from adjacent districts as civics/techs advance. Cannot sit next to another Mound.
- HunzaYour trade routes earn +1 Gold for every 5 tiles of their path length.
- JakartaYour Trading Posts in foreign cities add +1 Gold to your trade routes that pass through or end at that city.
- MogadishuYour Trader units cannot be plundered while on water tiles.
- Muscat+1 Amenity in each of your cities that has a Commercial Hub.
- SamarkandBuilders can construct the Trading Dome: +2 Gold, +1 Gold per adjacent luxury resource, and each Dome at a route's origin adds +1 Gold to your outgoing international trade routes. Cannot sit next to another Dome.
- VeniceTrade routes you send to foreign cities earn +1 Gold for each luxury resource at the destination.
- ZanzibarYou receive the Cinnamon and Cloves luxuries — obtainable nowhere else — each providing 6 Amenities.
Looking for playable civilizations? See the civilization guide