#284 Different types of map projection

The earth being a sphere, it has always been tricky to represent it in 2 dimensions. Several projections exist, all with pro and con, and a few of them are implemented in matplotlib. Pick the one you need!

• ortho
• merc
• robin
• aeqd
• nsper
• cyl

• 
  # ortho
  m=Basemap(lat_0=0, lon_0=0, projection='ortho' )
  m.drawmapboundary(fill_color='#A6CAE0')
  m.fillcontinents(color='grey', alpha=0.3)
  
  

• 

  
  # merc
  m=Basemap(llcrnrlon=-180, llcrnrlat=-60,urcrnrlon=180,urcrnrlat=80, projection='merc')
  m.drawmapboundary(fill_color='#A6CAE0')
  m.fillcontinents(color='grey', alpha=0.3)
  
  

• 

  
  # robin
  m=Basemap(lat_0=0, lon_0=0, projection='robin' )
  m.drawmapboundary(fill_color='#A6CAE0')
  m.fillcontinents(color='grey', alpha=0.3)
  
  

• 

  
  #aeqd --> you HAVE to provide lon_0 and lat_0
  m=Basemap(lat_0=30, lon_0=30, projection='aeqd' )
  m.drawmapboundary(fill_color='#A6CAE0')
  m.fillcontinents(color='grey', alpha=0.3)
  
  

• 

  
  #nsper
  m=Basemap(lat_0=0, lon_0=0, projection='nsper' )
  m.drawmapboundary(fill_color='#A6CAE0')
  m.fillcontinents(color='grey', alpha=0.3)
  
  

• 

  
  #cyl
  m=Basemap(llcrnrlon=-180, llcrnrlat=-60,urcrnrlon=180,urcrnrlat=80, projection='cyl' )
  m.drawmapboundary(fill_color='#A6CAE0')
  m.fillcontinents(color='grey', alpha=0.3)