Mountain View, CA – In a controversial update, Google Maps has officially changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America for users within the United States. The change follows an executive order issued by President Donald Trump, mandating the renaming of the Gulf in U.S. territories.
How Google Maps Displays the Name Change
✔ United States: Users will now see “Gulf of America” instead of “Gulf of Mexico” when searching the map.
✔ Mexico: The name remains as “Gulf of Mexico” for users accessing Google Maps from Mexico.
✔ International Users: In other countries, Google Maps will display “Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)” to indicate both names.
Google Maps determines the displayed name based on location data, including the user’s IP address, device settings, and language preferences.
📢 Read More: Why Did Google Make This Change? – Full Report
Why the Name Change Happened
✔ Presidential Order: After returning to office, President Trump issued an executive order requiring all U.S. government agencies to use “Gulf of America” in official documents and maps.
✔ Google’s Policy: Google aligns its maps with government-recognized geographic names, explaining the update for U.S. users.
✔ Part of a Larger Effort: The administration is also pushing to restore “Mount McKinley” as the official name for Denali, though Google has yet to implement this change.
Reactions from Mexico and the Global Community
🚨 Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responded firmly to the change, stating:
“The Gulf of Mexico remains the Gulf of Mexico. A unilateral decision from the United States does not alter international geographic designations.”
✔ Global cartography organizations have confirmed that internationally, the body of water will continue to be recognized as the Gulf of Mexico.
✔ Apple Maps and Other Platforms have not updated their maps, and Apple currently redirects searches for “Gulf of America” back to “Gulf of Mexico”.
📢 Read More: Mexico’s Response to Google Maps’ Controversial Update – Full Report
What’s Next?
✔ Will Google reverse the change? Amid international backlash, it remains unclear whether Google will reconsider the update.
✔ Will other platforms follow? Apple Maps, MapQuest, and OpenStreetMap have not adopted the name change yet.
✔ Will other place names be altered? The Trump administration has suggested more renaming efforts, meaning additional map updates could be coming soon.
🚨 Stay tuned as this story develops!
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