Google Maps to rename Gulf of Mexico in U.S.

English , International - بین الاقوامی , Snippets , / Tuesday, January 28th, 2025

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Google has announced that it will rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” for U.S. users on Google Maps. The change follows an executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump, who directed federal agencies to update government documents with the new name.
The renaming will apply only within the U.S., while users in other countries will continue to see both names. Google stated that it follows official government sources when updating place names. “When official names vary between countries, Maps users see their local name,” the company clarified.
Trump first mentioned the change during his inaugural address on January 20, emphasizing America’s global influence. “We are going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America,” he declared.
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum dismissed the move, joking that North America could be renamed “Mexican America” in response. “For us and the world, it remains the Gulf of Mexico,” she said.
Additionally, Trump announced that Mount Denali in Alaska would revert to its former name, Mount McKinley, reversing a 2015 decision by President Barack Obama. The move has drawn criticism from Indigenous groups and Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, who argued that the mountain’s traditional Koyukon Athabascan name should be preserved.
Google confirmed that the changes would be implemented swiftly once the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) is updated.