Recently, users of Google Maps in the United States may have noticed a significant change: the familiar “Gulf of Mexico” has been relabeled as the “Gulf of America.” This update, while seemingly straightforward, has ignited a wave of discussions and even diplomatic friction, particularly concerning Mexico. For those using Google For Mexico to stay informed about happenings south of the border, understanding this cartographic shift is crucial.
Google explained that this alteration stems from what they describe as a “longstanding practice” of mirroring name adjustments made by official government bodies. According to Google, the change was implemented following an update in the Geographic Names Information System, a U.S. government database managed by the Department of the Interior. This database now lists “The Gulf of America, formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico,” emphasizing its location “bordered and nearly landlocked by North America with the Gulf’s eastern, northern, and northwestern shores in the U.S. and its southwestern and southern shores in Mexico.”
This modification is reportedly a consequence of an executive order issued by former President Donald Trump. The order, titled “restoring names that honor American Greatness,” appears to be the driving force behind this renaming. Adding to the symbolic weight, February 9th was even proclaimed “Gulf of America Day” by the White House, urging public officials and citizens to acknowledge it with “appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.”
However, this name change has not been universally welcomed, especially in Mexico. President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico has publicly requested Google to reconsider this decision. Sheinbaum argued that the United States lacks the legal authority to unilaterally rename the Gulf, citing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. This international agreement stipulates that a nation’s sovereign territory extends only 12 nautical miles from its coastline, suggesting that the U.S.’s naming jurisdiction is limited.
Adding another layer to the controversy, the Associated Press (AP), a prominent global news organization, has declared that it will maintain “Gulf of Mexico” in its style guide. This decision is significant as the AP style guide is widely adopted by media outlets across the United States. In response to the AP’s stance, the White House reportedly barred an AP reporter from covering an executive order signing event, raising concerns about freedom of the press and governmental influence over media narratives. Julie Pace, AP’s Executive Editor, condemned this action, stating it “severely impedes the public’s access to independent news” and “plainly violates the First Amendment.”
Interestingly, the same executive order also mandated the renaming of Denali, North America’s highest peak, back to Mount McKinley, its former name. As of now, this change is not yet reflected on Google Maps, although the AP has adopted Mount McKinley in its style guide.
Beyond geographical names, Google has also recently made changes to its default calendar settings, removing automatic entries for several holidays and cultural events, including Pride and Black History Month. While this issue gained attention recently, Google clarified that this adjustment was made in mid-2024, citing scalability and sustainability issues in “maintaining hundreds of moments manually and consistently globally.” They have reverted to displaying only public holidays and national observances from timeanddate.com by default, while allowing users to manually add other significant events.
For individuals using google for mexico to understand the broader context of U.S.-Mexico relations, this Gulf renaming issue is a noteworthy event. It highlights ongoing sensitivities and differing perspectives on historical and geographical designations between the two nations. While Google maintains it is simply reflecting official U.S. government designations, the controversy underscores the complexities of geographical naming and its potential political implications.
