Instead of colouring your map with uniform colors, you can use layer for your background. Here are a few examples showing the layers that are available using python and basemap.
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#285 Load a background
from mpl_toolkits.basemap import Basemap import matplotlib.pyplot as plt m = Basemap(llcrnrlon=-10.5,llcrnrlat=33,urcrnrlon=10.,urcrnrlat=46., resolution='i', projection='cass', lat_0 = 39.5, lon_0 = 0.) m.bluemarble() plt.show()
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#285 Load a background
from mpl_toolkits.basemap import Basemap import matplotlib.pyplot as plt m = Basemap(llcrnrlon=-10.5,llcrnrlat=33,urcrnrlon=10.,urcrnrlat=46., resolution='i', projection='cass', lat_0 = 39.5, lon_0 = 0.) m.shadedrelief() plt.show()
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#285 Load a background
m = Basemap(llcrnrlon=-10.5,llcrnrlat=33,urcrnrlon=10.,urcrnrlat=46., resolution='i', projection='cass', lat_0 = 39.5, lon_0 = 0.) m.etopo()
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- #285 Load a background
- #285 Load a background
See help(m.arcgisimage) for more possibilities.
# World Shaded Relief m = Basemap(projection='mill',llcrnrlon=-123. ,llcrnrlat=37,urcrnrlon=-121 ,urcrnrlat=39, resolution = 'l', epsg = 4326) m.arcgisimage(service='World_Shaded_Relief', xpixels = 1500, verbose= True) # Ocean Basemap m = Basemap(projection='mill',llcrnrlon=-123. ,llcrnrlat=37,urcrnrlon=-121 ,urcrnrlat=39, resolution = 'l', epsg = 4326) m.arcgisimage(service='Ocean_Basemap', xpixels = 1500, verbose= True)