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The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked body of water on the southeastern periphery of the North American continent. It is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the Straits of Florida, which runs between the peninsula of Florida and the island of Cuba. The Gulf of Mexico is bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States; on the southwest and south by the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo; and on its southeast quadrant, it is bordered by Cuba. In 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America for federal use. This move has been met with criticism and debate, with some arguing that it is an attempt to erase the historical and cultural significance of the region's connection to Mexico.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Southeastern periphery of the North American continent |
| Connection | Atlantic Ocean, Straits of Florida, Caribbean Sea, Yucatán Channel |
| Boundaries | Southern coast of the United States, East coast of Mexico |
| Bounded by | Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Mexico, Cuba |
| Size | 600,000 square miles (1,550,000 square km) |
| Greatest Extents | 1,100 miles (north-south), 800 miles (east-west) |
| Depth | Sigsbee Deep, 17,070 feet (5,203 meters) below sea level |
| Formation | Plate tectonics, collision of continental plates |
| History | Used as a trade route by the Maya civilization |
| Exploration | Allegedly first explored by Amerigo Vespucci in 1497 |
| Naming | Renamed "Gulf of America" by US President Donald Trump in 2025 |
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What You'll Learn
The Gulf of Mexico's name change to the Gulf of America
On 20 January 2025, United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. The order, titled "Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness," stated that the Gulf "has long been an indelible part of America and an asset to our Nation." The Gulf of Mexico is a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent, and bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States. The coastal states with a shoreline on the Gulf of Mexico are Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, and these are known as the Gulf States.
The name change has been controversial. While some federal agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration, have adopted the new name, there has been backlash from other quarters. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum objected to the name change, arguing that Trump's executive order only applies to the US portion of the continental shelf. Sheinbaum's government has sued Google for ignoring requests not to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America on its maps service for US users. Google Maps now displays "Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)" for users outside the US and Mexico, while users in Mexico still see "Gulf of Mexico." The Associated Press also refused to use the new name, leading to a conflict with the White House that resulted in restricted access for the news agency.
The Gulf of Mexico holds a significant place in the history of the Americas. As early as the Maya civilization, the Gulf was used as a trade route off the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula. The consensus among geologists is that the Gulf of Mexico took shape about 300 million years ago due to plate tectonics. The first alleged European exploration of the Gulf was by Amerigo Vespucci in 1497, although this is widely disputed.
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The Gulf of America's economic importance
The Gulf of Mexico, also known as the Gulf of America, is a partially landlocked body of water on the southeastern periphery of the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, which includes the states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. These states are also known as the Gulf States.
The Gulf of Mexico is of significant economic importance to the United States and Mexico. It is a major economic asset to the 11 states in both countries that surround its shores. The Gulf has extensive natural resources, including large deposits of petroleum and natural gas, which have been extensively developed since the 1940s. The infrastructure for oil and gas production in the Gulf is the most developed in the world and includes refineries, processing plants, and supply and service bases. The Gulf's natural resources also include a diverse range of marine life, making commercial fishing a vital economic activity in the region. In 1992, the commercial fishing industry in the Gulf harvested 1.4 billion pounds of fishery products valued at $652 million.
The Gulf Coast region has also experienced significant economic development fueled by tourism. The Gulf Coast has become a popular tourist destination, particularly during the winter months, and tourism has become a major component of the regional economy. The growth of tourism has led to an increase in property values along the coast. Additionally, the Gulf's proximity to the Caribbean and Latin America has made it an important gateway for trade and investment.
The Gulf of Mexico is also significant for its role in shipping and transportation. The region is home to several large ports, including those in major cities such as Houston, New Orleans, and Mobile. The Gulf's strategic location and access to the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea have made it an important trade route for centuries. Even during the Maya civilization, the Gulf was used as a trade route off the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula. Today, the Gulf continues to facilitate trade and transportation between the United States, Mexico, and other countries in the region.
Overall, the Gulf of Mexico, or the Gulf of America, is of substantial economic importance to the United States and Mexico. Its natural resources, including oil, gas, and marine life, have driven economic development in the region. Additionally, the Gulf's strategic location and growing tourism industry have further contributed to its economic significance. The Gulf plays a crucial role in trade, transportation, and energy production for both the United States and Mexico.
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The Gulf of America's ecosystem
The Gulf of America, historically known as the Gulf of Mexico, is a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, bordered by the United States to the northeast, north, and northwest, Mexico to the west, south, and southeast, and Cuba to the east and southeast. The Gulf of Mexico took shape about 300 million years ago due to plate tectonics and is an unusually flat body of water with a maximum depth of 17,070 feet (5,203 meters) below sea level.
The Gulf of America's coastal zone consists of tidal marshes, sandy beaches, mangrove-covered areas, bays, estuaries, and lagoons. The coastal zone is intersected by numerous rivers, the largest of which is the Mississippi River. The Gulf of Mexico also contains large deposits of petroleum and natural gas, as well as valuable resources such as oyster shells, which are used in the chemical industry and for road construction.
The Gulf of America is home to some of the nation's largest recreational and commercial fisheries. However, overfishing is a potential threat to the region's marine ecosystems. The Gulf's coral reef ecosystems vary in condition, with the Flower Garden Banks region scoring 89% and the Florida region scoring only 69% in overall coral reef ecosystem health. Florida's coral reef is the only one found along the continental United States coast and extends from Martin County on the Atlantic Coast to the Dry Tortugas in the Gulf of Mexico.
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The Gulf of America's geography
The Gulf of America, also known as the Gulf of Mexico, is a partially landlocked body of water on the southeastern periphery of the North American continent. It is bordered by the United States to the northeast, north, and northwest (along the Gulf Coast), by Mexico to the southwest and south (along the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo), and by Cuba to the southeast. The coastal areas along the Southern US states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, which border the Gulf to the north, are often referred to as the "Third Coast" or the "Gulf Coast" of the United States.
The Gulf of Mexico is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean. It is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the Straits of Florida, which run between the peninsula of Florida and the island of Cuba, and to the Caribbean Sea by the Yucatán Channel, which runs between the Yucatán Peninsula and Cuba. The Gulf of Mexico basin is roughly oval and is about 810 nautical miles (1,500 kilometers or 930 miles) wide. The deepest point of the Gulf of Mexico is called Sigsbee Deep, which is 17,070 feet (5,203 meters) below sea level in the Mexico Basin. Interestingly, the Gulf of Mexico is unusually flat, with a gradient of only about 1 foot (0.3 meters) in every 8,000 feet (2,440 meters).
The Gulf Coast, which borders the Gulf of Mexico, is made up of many inlets, bays, and lagoons. The coast is intersected by numerous rivers, the largest of which is the Mississippi River. Much of the land along the Gulf Coast is or was marshland. The Gulf Coastal Plain rings the Gulf Coast, stretching from Southern Texas to the western Florida panhandle. The western portions of the Gulf Coast consist of many barrier islands and peninsulas, including the 130-mile (210 km) Padre Island along the Texas coast. These landforms protect the numerous bays and inlets, providing a barrier to oncoming waves. The central part of the Gulf Coast, from eastern Texas through Louisiana, consists primarily of marshland, while the eastern part, predominantly Florida, is dotted with many bays and inlets. The Gulf Coast climate is humid subtropical, although Southwest Florida features a tropical climate.
The Gulf of Mexico took shape about 300 million years ago due to plate tectonics. Before the late Triassic, the area consisted of dry land, which included continental crust that now underlies Yucatán, within the middle of the supercontinent Pangaea. Geographically, the Gulf of Mexico has been important throughout history. As early as the Maya civilization, the Gulf was used as a trade route off the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula and present-day Veracruz. Although Europeans credited Christopher Columbus's voyage with the discovery of the Americas, his ships did not reach the Gulf of Mexico. Instead, Spanish explorers entered the Gulf after Columbus first made contact with the region in 1492, and by 1600, the major physical features had been discovered, with a system of towns, silver mines, and missions established around the gulf shore. In 1497, Amerigo Vespucci allegedly became the first European to explore the Gulf of Mexico, although this is widely disputed.
In January 2025, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing US federal agencies to adopt the name "Gulf of America" for the gulf waters bounded by the US. Major online map platforms and several US-based media outlets voluntarily adopted the change. However, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum objected to the declaration, arguing that Trump's order only applies to the US portion of the continental shelf. As a result, Mexico sued Google for ignoring repeated requests not to rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America for US users on its maps service.
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The Gulf of America's history
The Gulf of America is a new name for the Gulf of Mexico, which was officially recognised by the US Board on Geographic Names and the Federal Aviation Administration in February 2025. The Gulf of Mexico is a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, partially landlocked and found on the southeastern periphery of the North American continent. It is bordered by the US, Cuba, and Mexico.
The Gulf of Mexico took shape around 300 million years ago as a result of plate tectonics. Before the late Triassic, the area consisted of dry land, which included continental crust that now underlies Yucatán, within the middle of the supercontinent Pangaea. The Gulf of Mexico was formed by the collision of continental plates that created Pangaea.
The first alleged European exploration of the Gulf of Mexico was by Amerigo Vespucci in 1497. However, this is widely disputed by historians. After Christopher Columbus first made contact with the Americas in 1492, waves of Spanish explorers entered the gulf. By 1600, a system of towns, silver mines, and missions had been established around the gulf shore. The Gulf of Mexico was used as a trade route off the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula by the Maya civilization.
The Gulf Coast of the United States, which borders the Gulf of Mexico, has a long history. Two major events that impacted the region were the American Civil War and the Galveston Hurricane of 1900. The Gulf Coast has also been hit by numerous other hurricanes, including Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which was the most damaging storm in US history. The Gulf Coast economy is dominated by industries such as energy, petrochemicals, fishing, aerospace, agriculture, and tourism. The discovery of oil in Texas and the Gulf waters has been a significant driver of development in the region.
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Frequently asked questions
The Gulf of America is the new name for the Gulf of Mexico, which is bordered by the US, Cuba and Mexico.
The Gulf of Mexico was renamed by the US President Donald Trump.
Trump justified the name change by arguing that the US "do most of the work there, and it's ours".
The Gulf of Mexico was renamed on 20 January 2025.
The Gulf of America, formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico, took shape about 300 million years ago as a result of plate tectonics. The first alleged European exploration of the Gulf was by Amerigo Vespucci in 1497.
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