Humankind: Civilizations and cultures guide — Ideal picks for each era

Choosing your culture.
Humankind Best Civilization Civ Culture Eras Emblematic District Emblematic Unit Traits

Contemporary Era

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The Contemporary Era is the final time period in Humankind. Once an empire reaches this point, you’ll see a countdown as to how many turns are left until the game ends. It’s also possible to conclude the game through other means, such as earning all Contemporary Era stars, researching all techs, sending a mission to Mars, or rendering the Earth uninhabitable. Those last two have projects or units that require high-end resources like aluminum and uranium which can be obtained by completing the necessary techs.

Anyway, here are the Contemporary Era civilizations and cultures in Humankind:

Type Culture Trait Emblematic District Emblematic Unit
Aesthete Egyptians Valley of Kings
+4 influence on Emblematic District
Archaeological Dig
-10 stability; +3 influence per adjacent district; +3 influence on Emblematic District
Free Officers (gunner)
Anti Colonialism – Allied units gain a combat strength bonus when attacking stronger units.
Indians Economic Elephant
+3 influence on territories; +10 money per number of territories in your sphere of influence
Ashram
+2 faith per population; +5 influence; +3 faith per adjacent district
Peacekeepers (gunner)
Peace Protector – Bonus combat strength for each war declared on you.
Agrarian Brazilians Lungs of the Planet
+3 food on tiles that produce food
Agronomy Lab
+1 food per population; -10 stability; +3 food per adjacent Farmers Quarter; +1 farmers slot; counts as a Farmers Quarter
Jungle Brigades (gunner)
Master Ambusher – Has increased ambusher bonuses when on forest tiles.
Turks People’s Reforms
+1 food per population in all cities
Public School
+1 science per population; -10 stability; +300% science per adjacent Research Quarter; +1 researcher slot; counts as a Research Quarter
Stealthy Operative Missile
Aerial Stealth – Can perform anonymous airstrikes; requires 1x oil, 1x uranium, and 3x aluminum
Builder Australians Dream Weavers
+20% industry on all cities
Strip Mining Complex
+10 industry; +15 pollution; -10 stability; +50 industry per adjacent strategic resource deposit; +1 workers slot; counts as a Makers Quarter
All Terrain PMV (armored vehicle)
All-Terrain – Ignores terrain penalties; requires 2x iron and 3x oil.
Expansionist Americans American Exceptionalism
+10 influence on resources that are being traded/sold; +1 money for trades on cities/outposts
Defense Agency
-10 stability; +2 combat strength for units adjacent to this district; +2 influence per adjacent Garrison
Lightning (multi-role aircraft)
Aerial Stealth – Can perform anonymous airstrikes; requires 1x uranium, 2x oil, and 3x aluminum.
Soviets Red Tide
+3 combat strength and -20% industry cost for units
Arms Factory
+5 industry and money; +10 pollution; -10 stability; counts as Makers Quarter and Market Quater
Red Army Tank (armored vehicle)
Field Repairs – Regenerates HP after a battle; requires 2x iron and 2x oil.
Merchant Chinese Silk Railroad
+10% money on all cities
Congress
+7 money per number of attached territories; -10 stability; +3 influence per adjacent Market Quarter; +1 farmers/workers/traders/researchers slot; counts as a Market Quarter
Guardians (heavy weapon)
Multi-rocket Bombard – Can use the bombard action twice per turn; removes the “dug in” status on target; requires 1x aluminum, 2x uranium, and 2x oil.
Scientist Japanese Blossoming Innovation
-20% technology costs for research
Robotics Lab
+5 industry; +5 pollution; -10 stability; +5 science; +3 industry and science per adjacent district; +2 industry on Makers Quarter; +2 science on Research Quarter; +1 workers/researchers slot; counts as a Makers Quarter and Research Quarter
Reisen (fighter aircraft)
Light – Gets destroyed if an attack manages to deplete half of the unit’s health; requires 1x oil and 1x aluminum.
Swedes Prize Science
+1 science per district on all cities; +3 science on Research Quarter
Research Institute
+3 science per district; -10 stability; +3 science per adjacent Research Quarter; counts as a Research Quarter
Stealth Corvette (armored vessel)
Stealth – Cannot be seen except by adjacent units; requires 1x iron and 2x oil.

Around this time, the game should be almost over (i.e., normal speed at 300 turns). However, there are some great picks here. Leading the pack are the Turks due to the Emblematic District. That’s a whopping 300% science bonus from each adjacent Research Quarter. I’m not even sure if that’s how it was intended or if someone accidentally put an extra zero. Likewise, the Swedes are decent if you want science gains.

Australia is also good due to the industry boosts and China’s got an Emblematic District adds numerous specialist slots. The worst of the bunch are probably the Americans. There’s nothing exceptional about their uniques at all.

Humankind Best Civilization Civ Culture Eras Emblematic District Emblematic Unit Traits New 7 Contemporary Era


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Jason Rodriguez is a guides writer. Most of his work can be found on PC Invasion (around 3,400+ published articles). He's also written for IGN, GameSpot, Polygon, TechRaptor, Gameskinny, and more. He's also one of only five games journalists from the Philippines. Just kidding. There are definitely more around, but he doesn't know anyone. Mabuhay!