colour_map.py

# Use the coolwarm colour map, which comes with Matplotlib.
cmap = plt.cm.coolwarm

# Normalise the log-deaths into a 0, 1 scale
norm = colors.Normalize(vmin=deaths.min(), vmax=deaths.max())

# Now the ith colour in colours corresponds to the ith country in deaths.
colours = cmap(norm(deaths))

# Build a simple colour dictionary indexed by country name.
colour_dict = dict(zip(deaths.index, colours))