So I am using the .Net framework, building with ASP.NET MVC, how do I create a Dynamic, interactive web 2.0 style Image Map? Where say for example, on a world map, if you hover over a country, the selected country will highlight, and a tool tip comes up with various information, and if you click the country it takes you to the said countries details page.
Well, my answer below is not using jQuery but using flash based map.
In my last project, one of the client requirement is to display a world map, with the number of jobads info displayed when a mouse over in that country. After tried some map solution, we both agree to use ammap.
ammap is quiet easy to use and customized. Without license key, it will display a link to ammap website. You can put any text you want for each area. Area can be a predetermined country, or you can define it, for example create a new fiction island and country. Map can be colored using heatmap, or drill down, from continent down to countries. The documentation cover almost all config possibilities, and you can also learn tricks from included example.
The maphilight for jquery will totally suit your needs I think:
http://plugins.jquery.com/project/maphilight
A nice tooltip you will have to add yourself, but there are plenty other plugins available for that.