A method for displaying a map includes storing map data on a server including
a
plurality of layers, which include vector information delineating features in the
map belonging to a respective feature category, and a set of templates, each such
template being associated with a respective one of the layers and indicating a
visual characteristic of the features in the layer with which the template is associated.
At least a subset of the templates is downloaded to a client device from the server,
as is the vector information in a portion of one or more of the layers of the map
data corresponding to a selected area of the map. Based on the downloaded vector
information, an image of the selected area of the map is rendered on the client
device in accordance with the visual characteristic indicated by the downloaded templates.
