old_contents: from mpl_toolkits.basemap import Basemap
  import numpy as np
  import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
  
  # create Basemap instance for Near-Sided Perspective (satellite view) projection.
  lon_0 = float(raw_input('enter reference longitude (lon_0):'))
  lat_0 = float(raw_input('enter reference longitude (lat_0):'))
  h = float(raw_input('enter altitude of camera in km (h):'))
  h=h*1000.
  
  # map with continents drawn and filled.
  fig = plt.figure()
  m = Basemap(projection='nsper',lon_0=lon_0,lat_0=lat_0,satellite_height=h,resolution='l')
  m.drawcoastlines()
  m.drawmapboundary(fill_color='aqua')
  m.fillcontinents(color='coral',lake_color='aqua')
  m.drawcountries()
  m.drawstates()
  # draw parallels and meridians.
  m.drawparallels(np.arange(-90.,120.,10.))
  m.drawmeridians(np.arange(0.,420.,20.))
  m.drawmapboundary()
  plt.title('Near-Sided Perspective Map Centered on Lon=%s, Lat=%s, H=%g' %\
      (lon_0,lat_0,h),fontsize=10)
  plt.show()
  
new_contents: from mpl_toolkits.basemap import Basemap
  import numpy as np
  import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
  
  # create Basemap instance for Near-Sided Perspective (satellite view) projection.
  lon_0 = float(raw_input('enter reference longitude (lon_0):'))
  lat_0 = float(raw_input('enter reference longitude (lat_0):'))
  h = float(raw_input('enter altitude of camera in km (h):'))
  h=h*1000.
  
  # map with continents drawn and filled.
  fig = plt.figure()
  m = Basemap(projection='nsper',lon_0=lon_0,lat_0=lat_0,satellite_height=h,resolution='l')
  m.drawcoastlines()
  m.drawmapboundary(fill_color='aqua')
  m.fillcontinents(color='coral',lake_color='aqua')
  m.drawcountries()
  m.drawstates()
  # draw parallels and meridians.
  m.drawparallels(np.arange(-90.,120.,10.))
  m.drawmeridians(np.arange(0.,420.,20.))
  m.drawmapboundary()
  plt.title('Near-Sided Perspective Map Centered on Lon=%s, Lat=%s, H=%g' %\
      (lon_0,lat_0,h/1000.),fontsize=10)
  
  fig = plt.figure()
  m1 = Basemap(projection='nsper',lon_0=lon_0,lat_0=lat_0,satellite_height=h,resolution=None)
  ax = fig.add_axes([0.1,0.1,0.8,0.8],axisbg='k')
  # plot just upper right quadrant (coordinates determined from global map).
  m = Basemap(projection='nsper',lon_0=lon_0,lat_0=lat_0,satellite_height=h,resolution='l',llcrnrx=0.,llcrnry=0.,urcrnrx=m1.urcrnrx/2.,urcrnry=m1.urcrnry/2.)
  m.drawcoastlines()
  m.drawmapboundary(fill_color='aqua')
  m.fillcontinents(color='coral',lake_color='aqua')
  m.drawcountries()
  m.drawstates()
  # draw parallels and meridians.
  m.drawparallels(np.arange(-90.,120.,30.))
  m.drawmeridians(np.arange(0.,420.,60.))
  m.drawmapboundary()
  plt.title('Near-Sided Perspective Map Centered on Lon=%s, Lat=%s, H=%g' %\
      (lon_0,lat_0,h/1000.),fontsize=10)
  
  plt.show()
  
subject: add limited area plot