Google Maps users in the US will notice a change in the labeling of a particular part of the world. Google Maps now show the Gulf of Mexico displayed as the “Gulf of America”. This change is in response to US President Donald Trump’s announcement earlier this year, where he proposed the idea of the name change.
A US-only change, for now
That being said, the change only affects the US at the moment. According to Google’s announcement, the new Gulf of America name will only appear for Google Maps users in the US. For those in Mexico, it will still display the Gulf of Mexico. The rest of the world will see two names.
According to Google, “People using Maps in the U.S. will see ‘Gulf of America,’ and people in Mexico will see ‘Gulf of Mexico.’ Everyone else will see both names.” Google didn’t mention why this change is geo-specific. However, local conventions and government policies may have influenced this decision.
Google also says that the names users see are based on their country’s location. The location is determined by the device’s OS, SIM, and network. The company also noted on its website that this change is part of its “longstanding practices”. Google is referring to instances where services like Google Maps have changed the names of locations based on official government sources.
It’s not just Google that is implementing this change. The FAA has confirmed that it is in the process of updating its systems to reflect the new name. This means that official air traffic maps and navigational systems used in the US will also adopt the “Gulf of America” name.
A controversial change
Reactions to the change have been mixed. Trump’s supporters have praised the change. Some comments called the change “beautiful”, echoing Trump’s previous comments about what a “beautiful” name the Gulf of America is. On the flip side, there are some who view this change as a political move that could promote division.
This is because while a change in name might seem small or insignificant for some, for others it might hold a lot of meaningThere have been instances of disputes following the changing of names in some locations. For example, the “Persian Gulf” is a name that Arab countries do not agree with, despite the United Nations supporting the new name.
It remains unclear whether other private institutions, schools, or books will adopt this new name.
