Google Maps to Update Gulf of Mexico and Denali Names Following Federal Order

Big changes are coming to Google Maps, and they’re all about names. Soon, the Gulf of Mexico will appear as the “Gulf of America” for U.S. users, while Alaska’s Denali mountain will revert to its former title, Mount McKinley. These updates follow an executive order from the Trump administration, which recently pushed for these changes to reflect American landmarks more “officially.”

Google confirmed the news in a social media post, explaining that they’ll update the names as soon as they’re reflected in the federal Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). “We apply name changes when they’re updated in official government sources,” the company stated.

But here’s the twist: not everyone around the world will see “Gulf of America.” Since naming disputes between countries are common, Google Maps will display different names depending on the user’s location. For example, Mexican users will still see “Gulf of Mexico,” while others will see both names side by side.

The Denali-to-Mount McKinley switch has also sparked some debate. The mountain was originally named after President William McKinley in 1917 but was officially changed to Denali—a name with Indigenous roots—in 2015 during the Obama administration. Now, it’s going back to Mount McKinley, much to the dismay of some Alaskan leaders.

While the changes are already official according to the U.S. Department of the Interior, the GNIS database hasn’t caught up yet. Once it does, Google Maps will make the updates. So, if you’re planning a trip to Denali or sailing through the Gulf, don’t be surprised if the names look a little different soon!

Google Maps to Update Gulf of Mexico and Denali Names Following Federal Order
https://www.99newz.com/posts/google-maps-name-changes-update-2892
Author
99newz.com
Published at
2024-12-16
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CC BY-NC-SA 4.0