Google Maps will change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in the US, following a directive from President Donald Trump, who ordered that the body of water be renamed on official US government documents. This change will only be visible to US users of the app.

Google explained that it typically updates map names when the government makes changes, and since the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) will be updated, users in the US will see the new name, while users from other countries will see both names.

Additionally, Google Maps will rename North America’s highest mountain, Mount Denali, back to its previous name, Mount McKinley, also in line with a separate push from Trump to revert the name in honor of President William McKinley.

Trump had mentioned the Gulf of Mexico name change in his inaugural address, making it a key point in his early presidency. However, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum joked about the decision, saying that for Mexico and the world, it will always be the Gulf of Mexico.

Meanwhile, some groups are upset by Trump’s decision to change Mount Denali’s name, arguing that Denali, a name used for thousands of years, should be kept. The name change decision for both places reflects the president’s priorities, with some finding it controversial.

BBC reported on these changes, explaining the reasoning behind Trump’s actions and the reactions from both sides.

Credit : BBC

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8634nwxd46o

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