old_contents: from mpl_toolkits.basemap import Basemap
  import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
  import numpy as np
  # set up orthographic map projection with
  # perspective of satellite looking down at 50N, 100W.
  # use low resolution coastlines.
  map = Basemap(projection='ortho',lat_0=45,lon_0=-100,resolution='l')
  # draw coastlines, country boundaries, fill continents.
  map.drawcoastlines(linewidth=0.25)
  map.drawcountries(linewidth=0.25)
  map.fillcontinents(color='coral',lake_color='aqua')
  # draw the edge of the map projection region (the projection limb)
  map.drawmapboundary(fill_color='aqua')
  # draw lat/lon grid lines every 30 degrees.
  map.drawmeridians(np.arange(0,360,30))
  map.drawparallels(np.arange(-90,90,30))
  # make up some data on a regular lat/lon grid.
  nlats = 73; nlons = 145; delta = 2.*np.pi/(nlons-1)
  lats = (0.5*np.pi-delta*np.indices((nlats,nlons))[0,:,:])
  lons = (delta*np.indices((nlats,nlons))[1,:,:])
  wave = 0.75*(np.sin(2.*lats)**8*np.cos(4.*lons))
  mean = 0.5*np.cos(2.*lats)*((np.sin(2.*lats))**2 + 2.)
  # compute native map projection coordinates of lat/lon grid.
  x, y = map(lons*180./np.pi, lats*180./np.pi)
  # contour data over the map.
  cs = map.contour(x,y,wave+mean,15,linewidths=1.5)
  plt.title('contour lines over filled continent background')
  plt.show()
  
new_contents: from mpl_toolkits.basemap import Basemap
  import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
  import numpy as np
  # set up orthographic map projection with
  # perspective of satellite looking down at 45N, 100W.
  # use low resolution coastlines.
  map = Basemap(projection='ortho',lat_0=45,lon_0=-100,resolution='l')
  # draw coastlines, country boundaries, fill continents.
  map.drawcoastlines(linewidth=0.25)
  map.drawcountries(linewidth=0.25)
  map.fillcontinents(color='coral',lake_color='aqua')
  # draw the edge of the map projection region (the projection limb)
  map.drawmapboundary(fill_color='aqua')
  # draw lat/lon grid lines every 30 degrees.
  map.drawmeridians(np.arange(0,360,30))
  map.drawparallels(np.arange(-90,90,30))
  # make up some data on a regular lat/lon grid.
  nlats = 73; nlons = 145; delta = 2.*np.pi/(nlons-1)
  lats = (0.5*np.pi-delta*np.indices((nlats,nlons))[0,:,:])
  lons = (delta*np.indices((nlats,nlons))[1,:,:])
  wave = 0.75*(np.sin(2.*lats)**8*np.cos(4.*lons))
  mean = 0.5*np.cos(2.*lats)*((np.sin(2.*lats))**2 + 2.)
  # compute native map projection coordinates of lat/lon grid.
  x, y = map(lons*180./np.pi, lats*180./np.pi)
  # contour data over the map.
  cs = map.contour(x,y,wave+mean,15,linewidths=1.5)
  plt.title('contour lines over filled continent background')
  plt.show()
  
subject: Update comment to match example code