I think Nizef has covered just about everything, except to say that you get a discount for researching techs that have already been researched by Civs that you have met. So if you are on a continent and have only met half the players, you will tech more slowly than if you are on Pangaea and have met everyone. It can lead to a slow start.
I have no idea of the figures, but the vast majority of games I see reported here seem to be on Pangaea. I get the impression (only a vague impression) that it somehow leads to a more balanced game. It undoubtedly gives you a bit more control at a certain point in the game because you can bribe any of the Civs to attack each other, you have more customers for luxes and strategic resources, and don't forget that you have more City States to deal with, too. They can be a great source of Culture and Happiness. Diplomacy is not something it is wise to ignore, and if you have only met half the players, it lessens your scope. So I think there is a valid argument for learning on Pangaea, and going on to other maps later.
There are all sorts of maps available, not just the ones that come with the game. At a later stage you might want to experiment with those. You can find many of them on these forums. I'm thinking of things like Perfect World, Communitas, Terra Incognita, etc. My present favourite is HellBlazer's map script, but you will need to do a Google search for that. It has more options than the standard maps, so you can limit the amount of Tundra, for example. It is also a bit more generous with ruins.
I try Continents every once in a while, but there is a lot of frustration in finding around T150 that Washington has settled 35 cities and killed all his neighbours. The rest of the game will just be a slog, if you bother to continue. At least on Pangaea you can foment discord and competition that may keep the runaways in check.
