The Earth we know is mostly a water map. It is equivalent to a "high sea level" setting on a standard Civ VI map.

8 players. As of the Jan 2021 Update there are no set start locations but they will usually spawn in:

• Sub Saharan Africa
  
• South Africa
  
• East Asia (China)
  
• South Asia (India)
  
• Middle East
  
• Mediterranean Europe
  
• North America
  
• South America

Until civilizations can cross the Atlantic or Pacific, civs will be split into two separate groups. The New World (The Americas) and the Ancient World (Africa, Asia & Europe). City-states and their starts are random.

This guide provides a strategy for each of the start locations. Though if you play a particular civ it may have a very strong bias to a certain start.
Try Monopolies & Corporations. Apart from Silk and Pearls (of which there are too many 'nodes' to easily monopolise) all the other luxuries are pretty easy. Spices, ivory, diamonds, coffee, jade, tobacco, silver, fur and even whales.

The birthplace of humanity.

Move your settler and found your capital near Mt. Kilimanjaro possibly next to a lake.

To protect the precious rain forest, raid foreign settlers from the south and then from the middle east and settle them safely in the heart of Africa.

With a navy you can make incursions into Europe, South Asia and South East Asia.

Great for Brazil, India, Ethiopia or Kongo. Alternatively try America, France, Egypt & Sumeria.

Unless Kupe is in the game, there is likely to be a South African civ.

Great for any naval civ like Phoenicia, Australia or Indonesia, cos the start is on the coast. Also try The Zulu, Kongo, Vietnam, Norway, America and Brazil.

On Europe civs will start on the Mediterranean coast.

Great for France, Rome, Sumeria, Spain, Norway, England, Germany, Byzantium, The Ottoman, The Netherlands, Japan and Babylon.

Settle Iberia to control the Mediterranean sea. Pursue land conquests in Asia. Or the Americas and Africa by sea. Establishing a city where Suez is, as a canal city, will be your gateway to Asia.

Perfect for America, Canada, Russia and The Cree. Possibly Nubia and Mali.

Expand quickly and secure the North American continent from invaders from the south and across the oceans. The key is to establishing ports on both the east and west coast to secure your continent. If you can, establish a canal city (where present day Panama is) to mobilise your navy around the globe.

Ally with and defend your continents city states.

Defend against invaders from the north. Perfect for the Kongo, India, Babylon, France, Sumeria, The Netherlands, Egypt, Brazil, The Inca or Vietnam.

An Indian start will be on the coast.

Great for India, Kongo, Vietnam, The Inca, Indonesia or Brazil. You are well positioned to settle south east Asia and Australia. Make forays into Africa and/or South America with a navy.

Mountainous and comprised of rough terrain, mostly hills and jungle, East Asia suits China, Russia, America, Canada, Ethiopia, The Gaul, Persia, Mongolia, Nubia, Mali, Rome, Greece, Georgia, Scotland, The Inca and Korea. A great start for those who like to turtle or make land offensives.

Be sure to settle Everest. It will allow your missionaries to glide over hilly terrain.

A middle eastern start will be on the Caspian sea.

Centrally located it is well positioned for land offensives into Europe, Asia or Africa.

Great for Ethiopia, The Gaul, The Inca, America, Hungary, Persia, Macedon, Rome, Gran Colombia, Nubia, Mali, Poland, Greece, China, Korea, The Mapuche, The Zulu, Byzantium and Georgia.