US-based tech giant Google has decided to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" in its Maps application, following a directive from US President Donald Trump. Similarly, Denali in Alaska will once again be referred to as "Mount McKinley."
STATEMENT FROM GOOGLE
In a statement, Google said, "We reflect name changes in our Maps application by following updates made in official government sources. We will update the application once the US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) approves these changes."
The changes will only apply to users in the US. While users in Mexico will continue to see the region as the "Gulf of Mexico," users outside the US and Mexico will be able to see both names.
NAME CHANGE BY TRUMP'S DIRECTIVE
The US Department of the Interior announced last week that, per President Trump's directive, the Gulf of Mexico would be renamed the "Gulf of America" and Denali, the highest peak in North America, would be renamed "Mount McKinley." The statement noted that the changes took effect immediately for federal use.
The peak in Alaska was named "Mount McKinley" in honor of William McKinley, the 25th US President who was assassinated in 1917, but in 2015, then-President Barack Obama restored the traditional indigenous name, "Denali," to the region.
Regarding the Gulf of Mexico, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum commented on Trump's decision to change the name, stating, "Whatever they call it in the US, the gulf will continue to be known as the 'Gulf of Mexico' in Mexico and the rest of the world."
News Source: 12punto
