The Gulf of Mexico is a significant semi-enclosed sea located between the southeastern United States, eastern Mexico, and western Cuba. It covers an area of approximately 1.5 million square kilometers and is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the Straits of Florida and to the Caribbean Sea by the Yucatán Channel.The Gulf's coastline is characterized by low, marshy areas, numerous bays, estuaries, and lagoons. The coastal zone includes tidal marshes, sandy beaches, and mangrove-covered areas, with several barrier islands running parallel to the shore. The region also features notable geologic structures such as salt domes and the Sigsbee Escarpment, an underwater mountain about 2000 feet high.The Gulf of Mexico is ecologically diverse, supporting a variety of habitats including oyster reefs, mangrove forests, and marshes, which are crucial for maintaining the health of the Gulf's waters. The region's bathymetry is complex, featuring active faults, escarpments, slump blocks, slides, canyons, and channels.Recently, there has been a notable change in the naming of the Gulf of Mexico. US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to rename it the Gulf of America. Google has stated that it will update Google Maps to reflect this change once the United States Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) is updated. In the US, the name will change to Gulf of America, while in Mexico, it will continue to be displayed as Gulf of Mexico. Outside the US and Mexico, both names will be shown.
