The 'Gulf of America' now appears on Google Maps
In a move following an executive order by former US President Donald Trump, the Gulf of Mexico is now being referred to as the "Gulf of America" on Google Maps within the United States. This change, according to Google, is part of their long-standing practice of updating map names when they've been updated in official government sources.
Similarly, Mount McKinley, the highest peak in the nation, was set to be renamed to Denali following Obama's order in 2015. Google announced last month that it would adopt this change. However, as of now, Denali hasn't been reflected on Google Maps.
Both changes are linked to a 2017 executive action taken by Trump, which he justified as a tribute to American greatness. Criticism was levied against Obama's decision to rename McKinley, with the order stating that it was disrespectful to McKinley's life and accomplishments.
Google's commitment to this name change is evident. They've confirmed that they will update their maps as soon as the necessary changes are made in the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) run by the U.S. Geological Survey. Upon GNIS's updates, Google Maps users in the U.S. will see 'Gulf of America' while the rest of the world will continue to see 'Gulf of Mexico' and 'Denali/Mount McKinley' respectively.
The public response has been mixed, especially in Alaska where the name Denali holds significant cultural importance. The Alaska Legislature has formally opposed Trump's decision to rename Denali as Mount McKinley.
The business of renaming geographical locations can have significant cultural implications, as evident in the opposition to Trump's decision to rename Denali to Mount McKinley by the Alaska Legislature. Google, being in the business of providing accurate map data, will update their maps once the necessary changes are made in the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
