[backstage] Best Mapping API

[Richard Hyett]

I saw the list of APIs
http://www.programmableweb.com/apis

Which is the best mapping api?
What I want is a service that will give me multiple renderings, or is the word overlays?  of North East England.
I want one which has major cities listed
One which emphasises the geography, highground population density, rivers etc
One which emphasises the LAD/County borders
then obviously I want to be able to superimpose/_javascript_, data related to postcode on top of one or more of these renderings

Most of the Google Maps  mashups I've seen have been fairly spartan and unattractive, lacking in colour, but it could just be the examples I've been looking at

Richard