US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Sunday to rename the ‘Gulf of Mexico’ as the ‘Gulf of America.’ What is the Gulf of Mexico and its significance?
Why in the news?
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Sunday to rename the ‘Gulf of Mexico’ as the ‘Gulf of America’ and declared February 9 as the ‘Gulf of America Day’. This announcement follows a pattern of confrontational rhetoric in which Trump has made statements about US neighbours, including threats to take control of Greenland and the Panama Canal. He has also referred to Canada as the “51st state” of the United States.
According to the executive order posted on the White House website, it defines the renamed ‘Gulf of America’ as “the U.S. Continental Shelf area bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the States of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida and extending to the seaward boundary with Mexico and Cuba in the area formerly named as the Gulf of Mexico.”
Gulf of Mexico
1. Bordered by Cuba, Mexico, and the United States, Gulf of Mexico is the world’s largest gulf by surface area. It is also considered the ninth-largest body of water in the world.
2. The Gulf of Mexico connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the Straits of Florida, which run between the Florida peninsula and the island of Cuba. It also connects to the Caribbean Sea via the Yucatán Channel, located between the Yucatán Peninsula and Cuba.
Significance of Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is recognized globally as a vast and productive waterbody with significant ecological and economic value. It is home to one of the world’s most productive marine ecosystems, making it an important global reservoir of biodiversity. Its marine biodiversity supports vital ecosystems and a large sector of the region’s economy.
Gulf of Mexico has played a crucial role in shaping the natural heritage, culture, and economy of the five Gulf Coast states and the nation as a whole.
Covering over five million acres (approximately half of the U.S. total), the Gulf’s coastal wetlands provide essential habitats for numerous fish and wildlife species. This includes migrating waterfowl (with about 75% of them traversing the U.S.), seabirds, wading birds, furbearers, and both sport and commercial fisheries.
Why is the Gulf of Mexico important for the United States?
The Gulf of Mexico holds vital significance for the US as it is crucial for U.S. energy resources. The government’s Energy Information Administration states: “Gulf of Mexico federal offshore oil production accounts for 14% of total US crude oil production and federal offshore natural gas production in the Gulf accounts for 5% of total US dry production. Over 48% of total US petroleum refining capacity is located along the Gulf coast, as well as 51% of total US natural gas processing plant capacity.”