Google Maps has updated its platform to reflect the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” for users in the United States. This change follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump, which mandated that U.S. agencies update their official maps to use the new name.
The change is visible on both web and mobile versions of Google Maps for U.S. users.
Users outside the U.S., including those in Mexico, will see different naming conventions. Mexican users will continue to see “Gulf of Mexico,” while international users will see both names: “Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)”.
The move has been disputed by Mexican authorities, who argue that under international law, a country’s territorial waters extend only up to 12 nautical miles from its coastline.
However, Apple Maps and other services like MapQuest have not yet adopted this name change.
The decision was part of Trump’s efforts to celebrate American greatness and follows his inaugural address where he mentioned renaming significant geographic features in the U.S.This move also includes reversing previous decisions such as renaming Mount Denali back to Mount McKinley, although this latter change has not yet been implemented on Google Maps.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum criticized the move and jokingly suggested renaming North America “Mexican America”. The decision has sparked diplomatic tensions between Mexico and the United States over naming rights for shared water bodies under international law.
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