February 1, 2025

Google confirmed that the name change will only apply to U.S. users, but outside the U.S., the area will still be labeled as the Gulf of Mexico.

The mapping service posted on X, “We have a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources.”

Sheinbaum said that the U.S. cannot legally change the name beyond its territorial waters, which, according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, an international treaty that regulates the use of the world’s oceans and seas, is up to 12 nautical miles from the coastline.

The Gulf is one of the world’s most productive oil and gas basins, contributing to approximately 14% of U.S. crude oil production. It houses vast natural gas reserves while also playing a crucial role in commercial fishing, ranked as the nation’s second largest fishing region.

Source: Mexico asks Google to reject U.S. renaming of the Gulf of Mexico

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