Google renames Gulf of Mexico as 'Gulf of America' for US users

Google has renamed Gulf of Mexico as "Gulf of America" on its Maps app for users in the United States, following an executive order by President Donald Trump.

In a blog post, Google said users outside the US will continue to see both the original and new name, similar to how Google handles other disputed geographic locations.



"People using Maps in the US will see 'Gulf of America,' and people in Mexico will see 'Gulf of Mexico.' Everyone else will see both names," the company wrote. In India too, a Google search of Gulf of Mexico displays Gulf of America in brackets.

Google said that it had a policy to follow official US government geographic designations as listed in the Geographic Names Information System.



Upon his return has President, Trump issued executive orders not only renaming the Gulf of Mexico but also reversing the 2015 decision to call America’s highest peak Denali, restoring its previous name, Mt. McKinley. Denali had been officially recognized under then-president Barack Obama in response to longstanding demands from Alaska Native groups.

Indigenous activists have criticised the renaming of the Gulf. It has also paved way for diplomatic tensions with Mexico.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responded with a jab, suggesting the United States be renamed “Mexican America,” referencing historical maps from before the US took control of a third of Mexico’s territory in 1848.