import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from mpl_toolkits.basemap import Basemap
from matplotlib.collections import PathCollection
from matplotlib.path import Path

fig = plt.figure(figsize=(8, 4.5))
plt.subplots_adjust(left=0.02, right=0.98, top=0.98, bottom=0.00)

# MPL searches for ne_10m_land.shp in the directory 'D:\\ne_10m_land'
m = Basemap(projection='robin',lon_0=0,resolution='c')
shp_info = m.readshapefile('D:\\ne_10m_land', 'scalerank', drawbounds=True)
ax = plt.gca()
ax.cla()

paths = []
for line in shp_info[4]._paths:
    paths.append(Path(line.vertices, codes=line.codes))

coll = PathCollection(paths, linewidths=0, facecolors='grey', zorder=2)

m = Basemap(projection='robin',lon_0=0,resolution='c')
# drawing something seems necessary to 'initiate' the map properly
m.drawcoastlines(color='white', zorder=0)

ax = plt.gca()
ax.add_collection(coll)

plt.savefig('world.png',dpi=75)