I am looking to place an OpenStreetMap/Google Maps layer underneath the rest of my shapefiles for referencing purposes.
Let's say for instance, that I am looking at the Swiss Cantons and cities, and I want the Street Maps underneath these layers. What I have been doing is importing OpenStreetMap from the OpenLayers plugins. However, this imports a world map and rendering is slow.
Is there a way to import the OSM/Google Maps layer and then exclude extraneous or superfluous areas?
If I am only interested in Switzerland I don't necessary need Uganda, Botswana, Kazakhstan and Indonesia as well.