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Google Maps now officially displays the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America when accessed within the United States. In a blog post, Google explained that this change was implemented because the government has updated the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), which establishes the “federal and national standard for geographic nomenclature.” One of the executive orders President Donald Trump signed in January, upon taking office, officially renamed the body of water. However, Google previously stated that it is a longstanding policy of the company to rely on official government sources before making any name changes.
The Gulf of America label will be visible only if you use the Maps app within the US, or if you access Maps on the web with your device’s location set to the region. If you are in Mexico, the label remains as Gulf of Mexico. Elsewhere, you will see it marked as both: Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America). It is also a longstanding policy of the company to display official local names when they differ between countries. President Trump’s executive order also aims to rename Denali, the tallest mountain peak in North America, to Mount McKinley. As of now, it is still listed as Denali on Maps.
Separately, Apple has updated its Maps application and website to incorporate the new nomenclature for US users. Currently, the map graphics still display “Gulf of Mexico,” but selecting the region brings up a card that identifies it as the “Gulf of America.” Searching for “Gulf of Mexico” also results in the same Gulf of America card.
According to Bloomberg, Apple will not restrict this change to the US alone. The outlet, paraphrasing Apple, stated that the company plans to “soon introduce the shift for all users globally.” We have reached out to Apple to verify if users worldwide, including those in Mexico, will see Gulf of America on their maps.
A Congressional Research Service report on the application of geographical name changes specifically mentions that “private companies such as Google Maps and Apple Maps” are not directly affected by President Trump’s Executive Order. The report further notes that decisions made by the US Board on Geographic Names, which facilitated the name change, apply solely to federal use.
Update, February 11, 5:35PM ET: This story and its headline have been updated to reflect Apple’s decision to modify the name of the Gulf of Mexico in its Maps application. Additional context regarding geographical name changes from a Congressional Research Service report has also been included.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/google-adopts-gulf-of-america-for-us-maps-users-140026397.html?src=rss
