Google renames Gulf of Mexico
Following an executive order from US President Donald Trump, Google Maps has changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America for users in the United States. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Google Maps has updated the name of the Gulf of Mexico to ‘Gulf of America’ for users in the United States, following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump last month aimed at honoring “American Greatness.”
On his first day in office, January 20, Trump officially mandated the renaming of the gulf, emphasizing its importance to the US. He also directed that Denali, North America’s tallest mountain, be reverted to its former name, Mount McKinley, in homage to the 25th president.
Google has stated that it has a “longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources.”
In a blog post on Monday, the tech giant announced it would update Google Maps to reflect this change after the US Geographic Names Information System officially altered ‘Gulf of Mexico’ to ‘Gulf of America.’
While US users will see ‘Gulf of America,’ Google will continue to use the name ‘Gulf of Mexico’ in Mexico. Users in other countries will see both names displayed. The company clarified that the name displayed depends on the user’s location settings.
This naming strategy is akin to how other disputed geographic features are labeled differently across various contexts, such as the body of water between Japan and Korea, which is referred to as ‘Sea of Japan’ in some international contexts.
However, the renaming has faced resistance. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that Mexico and the international community will persist in calling the body of water the Gulf of Mexico, asserting that the US “cannot unilaterally change the name of an international body of water” recognized “for centuries.”
The gulf, associated with the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, extends along the eastern coast of Mexico, the southeastern US coast, and the western edge of Cuba. The term Gulf of Mexico has been utilized by European explorers and mapmakers for over 400 years.
Opposition to the renaming has also emerged in countries like the UK and Canada, both of which have committed to using the original name.
Although the name of the gulf has been changed on Google Maps, the reversion of Denali’s name has not yet been reflected on the platform and continues to face challenges. Recently, the Alaska Legislature passed a resolution urging Trump to preserve the name Denali, underscoring its cultural significance to Alaska natives. The resolution noted that the name, meaning ‘the high one,’ has been recognized for centuries and carries profound historical importance.
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
On his first day in office, January 20, Trump officially mandated the renaming of the gulf, emphasizing its importance to the US. He also directed that Denali, North America’s tallest mountain, be reverted to its former name, Mount McKinley, in homage to the 25th president.
Google has stated that it has a “longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources.”
In a blog post on Monday, the tech giant announced it would update Google Maps to reflect this change after the US Geographic Names Information System officially altered ‘Gulf of Mexico’ to ‘Gulf of America.’
While US users will see ‘Gulf of America,’ Google will continue to use the name ‘Gulf of Mexico’ in Mexico. Users in other countries will see both names displayed. The company clarified that the name displayed depends on the user’s location settings.
This naming strategy is akin to how other disputed geographic features are labeled differently across various contexts, such as the body of water between Japan and Korea, which is referred to as ‘Sea of Japan’ in some international contexts.
However, the renaming has faced resistance. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that Mexico and the international community will persist in calling the body of water the Gulf of Mexico, asserting that the US “cannot unilaterally change the name of an international body of water” recognized “for centuries.”
The gulf, associated with the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, extends along the eastern coast of Mexico, the southeastern US coast, and the western edge of Cuba. The term Gulf of Mexico has been utilized by European explorers and mapmakers for over 400 years.
Opposition to the renaming has also emerged in countries like the UK and Canada, both of which have committed to using the original name.
Although the name of the gulf has been changed on Google Maps, the reversion of Denali’s name has not yet been reflected on the platform and continues to face challenges. Recently, the Alaska Legislature passed a resolution urging Trump to preserve the name Denali, underscoring its cultural significance to Alaska natives. The resolution noted that the name, meaning ‘the high one,’ has been recognized for centuries and carries profound historical importance.
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
