Food is one of the fundamentals of growing and maintaining a Civilization. Each citizen eats an allotment of food measured in <l:6,89>rations<e>, which the ruler sets. The level of rations also affects the <l:6,104>city's<e> <l:6,96>happiness<e>. A core minimum of food is necessary to keep the citizens alive. However, in order to grow, the city needs a surplus of food. Food is created by assigning a <l:6,98>worker<e> or <l:6,99>slave<e> to work a terrain tile that creates food, but there are other ways to increase food. <l:6,63>Tile improvements<e>, such as the <l:8,0>Farm<e> also help boost food, as do certain city <l:6,65>improvements<e>. <l:6,81>Governments<e> and <l:6,95>crime<e> affect food production and consumption.