Nina Caldwell
The Gulf of Mexico is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent. While no country technically owns the Gulf, its shores touch the United States, Mexico, and Cuba. The United States has direct control over the waters of the Gulf within approximately 12 nautical miles of its shores and maintains an Exclusive Economic Zone stretching 200 miles offshore. Mexico and Cuba also have control over the waters closest to their shores. In 2025, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which was met with backlash and legal action from Mexico and other countries.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ownership | No country technically "owns" the Gulf of Mexico, as it borders the United States, Mexico, and Cuba. |
| United States Control | The United States directly controls the waters of the Gulf of Mexico within 12 nautical miles of its shores. It also maintains an Exclusive Economic Zone that extends 200 miles offshore, allowing it to explore, exploit, conserve, and manage natural resources. The US has control over about 46% of the gulf. |
| Mexico's Control | Mexico employs similar control over a significant portion of the Gulf, particularly the areas closest to its shores. Mexico controls about 49% of the gulf. |
| Cuba's Control | Cuba controls parts of the Gulf of Mexico off its shores, which make up about 5% of the gulf. |
| Renaming Controversy | In 2025, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America." This order only carries authority within the US. Mexico and its President, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, have opposed the name change and sued Google for implementing it on its maps platform. |
| Size | The Gulf of Mexico is about 810 nautical miles wide and covers an area of approximately 1.6 million square kilometers. It has a water volume of roughly 2.4 million cubic kilometers. |
| Natural Resources | The Gulf of Mexico is an important offshore petroleum production region, contributing to 14% of the United States' total production. In 2018, 581,393,276 barrels of oil and 901,855,447 mcf of gas were produced in the gulf. |
| Economic Impact | The Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) of 2006 directs a portion of the revenue from gulf oil and gas royalties to the states of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- The Gulf of Mexico touches the shores of the United States, Mexico, and Cuba
- No country technically owns the Gulf of Mexico
- The United States has direct control over the waters of the Gulf within 12 nautical miles of its shores
- The Gulf of Mexico is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean
- In 2025, Donald Trump signed an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America
The Gulf of Mexico touches the shores of the United States, Mexico, and Cuba
The Gulf of Mexico is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean. It is mostly surrounded by the North American continent. The Gulf is bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, with the coastal areas of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida occasionally referred to as the "Third Coast" of the United States. The United States controls the waters of the Gulf up to 12 nautical miles from its shores and maintains an "Exclusive Economic Zone" stretching 200 miles offshore, allowing it to explore and exploit the natural resources.
On the southwest and south, the Gulf is bounded by the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo. Mexico employs similar control over a wide swath of the Gulf, with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo stating that Mexico will not recognize the name change to the “Gulf of America” by former U.S. President Donald Trump. Mexico has filed lawsuits against Google for implementing this name change.
Finally, the Gulf is bounded on the southeast by Cuba, which also controls parts of the Gulf off its shores. Cuba has not indicated whether it will observe the changed name. The Gulf of Mexico is an important offshore petroleum production region, impacting the weather across the United States, and its name is derived from the ethnonym Mexica, referring to the Nahuatl-speaking people of the Valley of Mexico, or the Aztecs.
Masters Golf: Where the Magic Happens
You may want to see also
Explore related products
No country technically owns the Gulf of Mexico
No country technically "owns" the Gulf of Mexico, as it borders three separate countries: the United States, Mexico, and Cuba. The United States directly controls the waters of the Gulf within 12 nautical miles of its shores, as per the United Nations' Convention on the Law of the Sea. It also maintains an Exclusive Economic Zone that extends 200 miles offshore, allowing it to explore, exploit, conserve, and manage natural resources within this area.
Mexico and Cuba also exert control over the portions of the Gulf closest to their shores, with Mexico controlling about 49% of the Gulf, the United States 46%, and Cuba 5%, according to Sovereign Limits, a database of international boundaries. The Gulf of Mexico is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, connected to the Caribbean Sea via the Yucatán Channel between Mexico and Cuba.
The name "Gulf of Mexico" first appeared on a world map in 1550 and in a historical account in 1552. Europeans named the gulf after Mexico, as mariners needed to cross it to reach that destination. In Aztec religion, the gulf was called Chalchiuhtlicueyecatl or "House of Chalchiuhtlicue," after the deity of the seas. The Maya civilization, which used the gulf as a major trade route, likely referred to it as nahá, or "great water."
On January 20, 2025, United States 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. This order only carries authority within the US, and Mexico has filed a lawsuit against Google for changing the label on its maps platform, arguing that the “Gulf of America” label should only apply to the part over the US continental shelf.
Constructing Golf Greens: A Step-by-Step Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The United States has direct control over the waters of the Gulf within 12 nautical miles of its shores
The Gulf of Mexico is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded mostly by the North American continent. Its shores touch the United States, Mexico, and Cuba. While no country technically "owns" the Gulf of Mexico, the United States has direct control over the waters of the Gulf within 12 nautical miles of its shores, as per the United Nations' Convention on the Law of the Sea. This control zone is known as an Exclusive Economic Zone, which allows the US to explore, exploit, conserve, and manage natural resources. This zone extends 200 miles offshore.
The United States' direct control over the waters of the Gulf of Mexico within 12 nautical miles of its shores is part of its broader authority over its Exclusive Economic Zone in the region. This control grants the US exclusive rights to exploit the natural resources within the zone, such as oil and gas. The Gulf of Mexico is one of the most important offshore petroleum production regions in the world, contributing to 14% of the United States' total production. The US government collects detailed data about natural resource production in the Gulf, including oil and gas extraction.
The US's direct control over the waters of the Gulf also encompasses the authority to regulate any economic activities within the zone, such as fishing or tourism. This includes the power to grant or deny access to foreign vessels or companies seeking to operate within the zone. Additionally, the US is responsible for ensuring the environmental protection and conservation of the area, including the management of any ecological concerns or disasters that may arise.
It is important to note that while the US has direct control over the waters of the Gulf within its Exclusive Economic Zone, this does not grant ownership of the territory. The concept of Exclusive Economic Zones, as defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, establishes sovereign rights for coastal states over the exploration and exploitation of natural resources in the specified zones. However, it does not imply ownership of the waters or seabed itself.
The United States' direct control over the waters of the Gulf of Mexico within 12 nautical miles of its shores has been a subject of discussion and debate. In January 2025, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to adopt the name "Gulf of America" for the gulf waters bounded by the US. This move sparked controversy, with Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo refusing to recognize the name change and filing a lawsuit against Google for complying with the order.
Golf Pros: Their Skills, Roles, and Responsibilities
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Gulf of Mexico is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean
The Gulf of Mexico is a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, connected to it through the Straits of Florida between the US and Cuba. It is also connected to the Caribbean Sea via the Yucatán Channel between Mexico and Cuba. The Gulf of Mexico is an oceanic basin that took shape about 300 million years ago due to plate tectonics. It is mostly surrounded by the North American continent, with its shores touching the United States, Mexico, and Cuba. The US-Mexico border along the gulf extended eastward to present-day Louisiana until the Republic of Texas broke away from Mexico in 1836.
The Gulf of Mexico is bounded on its northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, including the states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. These coastal areas along the Southern US states are occasionally referred to as the "Third Coast" of the United States. On the southwest and south, the gulf is bounded by the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo, and on the southeast by Cuba.
The Gulf of Mexico is an important offshore petroleum production region, contributing significantly to the US economy. The Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) of 2006 directs a portion of the revenue from gulf oil and gas royalties to the states bordering the gulf, including Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. The act also allocates a portion of the revenue to the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
While no single country "owns" the Gulf of Mexico, each bordering country has control over the waters and the exploration and exploitation of natural resources within a certain distance from its shores. The United States, for example, directly controls the waters of the Gulf within approximately 12 nautical miles from its shores and maintains an Exclusive Economic Zone extending 200 miles offshore. Mexico and Cuba have similar control over the waters and natural resources closest to their shores.
Upper Deck Golf: A Unique Golfing Experience
You may want to see also
Explore related products
In 2025, Donald Trump signed an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America
On January 20, 2025, United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. The order only carries authority within the US, and Trump's stated reason for the change was to pay tribute to a "legacy of American greatness".
The Gulf of Mexico is an oceanic basin and marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent. It 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 the southeast by Cuba. The Gulf took shape around 300 million years ago due to plate tectonics.
While no country technically "owns" the Gulf, the United States directly controls the waters of the Gulf within approximately 12 nautical miles of its shores. It also maintains an Exclusive Economic Zone stretching 200 miles offshore, which allows it to explore, exploit, conserve, and manage natural resources. Mexico and Cuba also control parts of the Gulf that are within their respective Exclusive Economic Zones. The Gulf of Mexico is an important source of natural resources, particularly oil and gas, for all three countries.
The name change has been met with opposition from Mexico and Cuba, the two other countries that border the Gulf. Mexico has filed a lawsuit against Google for changing the name on its maps platform to match the executive order. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo has also written to Google, asking the company to rename the body of water "América Mexicana" instead of "Gulf of America". Cuba has not indicated whether it will observe the changed name, while the United Kingdom is among the countries that will continue to refer to the waterway as the Gulf of Mexico.
Golf Style Icon: Travis Mathew
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
No country technically "owns" the Gulf of Mexico, as it borders the United States, Mexico, and Cuba. However, each country directly controls the waters of the Gulf about 12 nautical miles from its shores and maintains an "Exclusive Economic Zone" stretching 200 miles offshore.
The Gulf of Mexico is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States; on the southwest and south by Mexican states; and on the southeast by Cuba.
The Gulf of Mexico basin is roughly oval and is about 810 nautical miles (1,500 kilometers; 930 miles) wide. The size of the gulf basin is about 1.6 million square kilometers (620,000 square miles), and the volume of water in the basin is roughly 2.4 million cubic kilometers (580 thousand cubic miles).
The name "Gulf of Mexico" is derived from the ethnonym Mexica, which refers to the Nahuatl-speaking people of the Valley of Mexico, also known as the Aztecs. In Aztec religion, the gulf was called the "House of Chalchiuhtlicue," after the deity of the seas.
On January 20, 2025, United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing U.S. federal agencies to adopt the name "Gulf of America" for the gulf waters bounded by the U.S. Trump stated that the name change was meant to pay tribute to "a legacy of American greatness."
