It makes sense that, the smaller the map, the faster the game. Of course, this all made sense. But here are my revelations on my first time ever playing on a tiny map. I usually pick huge, so I didn't know what to expect. After numerous microseconds of laborious concentration, I decided it would be smaller. Well, guess what? It WAS smaller!
I began the game as France (of course) in a decent spot, and I immodiately realized that I was next to a goody hut! goody! Its contents were thus: one conscript warrior. I built Paris and sent the warrior southward. Approximately eight turns later, I found another civ. I don't remember which civ it was, but I think it was... Persia. Anyway, I took their capitol with that warrior. Within 20 turns, I found the Egyptians another 10 squares away or so. 15 or 20 turns later, I'd taken both of their cities. Oh, I should probably mention that this is with accelerated production. Now it makes more sense. There was only one more enemy civ, the Iroquois, and they turned out to be on the dead opposite side of the world... 40 squares away. I kept them at one city as I took over the entire world's surface, and then flew off to Alpha Centauri in 1500 AD.