Washington, D.C.: In a move following President Donald Trump’s executive order, Google Maps has renamed the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America for users in the United States. The change, which aligns with the U.S. government’s official maps update, is part of a broader shift in geographic naming policies under the new administration.
How the Name Change Works
- U.S. Users: The body of water will now be labeled as Gulf of America.
- Mexican Users: The name will remain Gulf of Mexico on Google Maps.
- International Users: Both names will be displayed, with Gulf of Mexico appearing first, followed by Gulf of America in parentheses.
Google’s Response to the Policy Shift
Google stated that it has a longstanding policy of updating names when they are revised in official government sources. The company confirmed that it would implement the change once the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) updated its Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
On Sunday, February 11, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced the update via a post on X (formerly Twitter), sharing a screenshot of the USGS website displaying the new name. “It’s official!” he wrote.
When that happens, we will update Google Maps in the U.S. quickly to show Mount McKinley and Gulf of America.
— News from Google (@NewsFromGoogle) January 27, 2025
Precedents in Geographic Naming Disputes
This is not the first time Google Maps has used different names for the same location based on regional policies and disputes:
- The body of water between Saudi Arabia and Iran is labeled differently based on user location.
- Iranian users see Persian Gulf (Arabian Gulf).
- Users in Arab countries see it as Arabian Gulf.
The renaming of the Gulf of Mexico is expected to spark debate, as geographic name changes often carry political, historical, and cultural significance.
news source by:- the new york times
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