Google Maps surprises with a new name for the Gulf of Mexico in the U.S.

Google has changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America for users accessing Google Maps in the United States. This modification follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump.

According to the company, users outside the U.S. will continue to see both names, as is the case with other locations that have disputed designations.

Differences Based on Location

In a blog post, Google explained how the names will appear depending on the user’s location:

• In the United States: Only “Gulf of America” will be displayed.
• In Mexico: “Gulf of Mexico” will continue to appear.
• In the rest of the world: Both names will be shown.

Google justified the change by stating that its policy is to follow the official geographic designations of the U.S. government, based on the Geographic Names Information System.

Not the Only Change on Maps

This is not the only name change promoted by Trump. Upon taking office, he also signed executive orders to restore the former name of the Denali Mountain, the highest peak in the U.S., to Mount McKinley.

This decision generated criticism, especially from indigenous Alaskan communities, who have long defended the name Denali, used by natives for centuries.

Reactions in Mexico

The renaming of the Gulf of Mexico also caused discontent in Mexico. President Claudia Sheinbaum, in an ironic tone, suggested that if the U.S. changes historical names, Mexico could call its neighboring country “Mexican America”.

To justify her comment, she displayed a map from before 1848, when Mexico lost a large part of its territory following the war with the United States.