US President-elect Donald Trump said on January 7 that he will change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to “Gulf of America”. Earlier, Trump targeted US neighbours, from threatening to take control of Greenland and the Panama Canal, to referring to Canada, as the United States’ “51st” US state.
About the Gulf of Mexico
- Location and Size:
- The Gulf of Mexico is a 218,000 square-mile semi-enclosed oceanic basin.
- It connects to the Atlantic Ocean via the Straits of Florida and to the Caribbean Sea via the Yucatan Channel.
- Borders:
- Bounded by the southern United States (Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas) to the north.
- To the west, south, and southeast, it is bordered by Mexico.
- Ecological Significance:
- Home to vital marine species such as red snapper, Florida manatee, and the critically endangered Rice’s whale.
- It supports large watersheds, including the Mississippi River, which drains into the Gulf.
- Economic Importance:
- A hub for commercial and recreational fishing.
- Critical for the oil and gas industry, with numerous drilling operations.
