Why was the Gulf of Mexico given its name and can Trump change it?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Why was the Gulf of Mexico given its name and can Trump change it?
The president-elect says he wants the body of water to be called the Gulf of America but has not elaborated on how his plans could be enacted

Maryam Kara
4 hours ago

Donald Trump is reportedly considering yet another bold idea to redraw the map of the Western Hemisphere by renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. ... The US president-elect, 78, unveiled his proposal for the gulf, a major centre of economic activity, on Tuesday at a press conference in Mar-a-Lago, Florida.

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Can Trump change the name of the Gulf of Mexico?

Mr Trump’s comments have ignited questions about whether a president can rename an international body of water. While a name change is theoretically possible, such a decision cannot be made unilaterally, and other nations are not obligated to recognise it.

The US and Mexico are members of the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO), which oversees the uniform charting and naming of the world’s seas, oceans, and navigable waters. In practice, countries sometimes refer to the same body of water or landmark by different names in their own documentation, but official changes require broader international consensus.

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International Hydrographic Organization

International Hydrographic Organization
Organisation hydrographique internationale



Abbreviation: IHO
Founded: 21 June 1921; 103 years ago
Location: Principality of Monaco
Membership: 100 member states, but 2 suspended (see list)
Official languages: English, French
Secretary-General: Dr. Mathias Jonas
Website: iho.int

The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) (French: Organisation Hydrographique Internationale) is an intergovernmental organization representing hydrography. As of May 2024, the IHO comprised 100 member states.

A principal aim of the IHO is to ensure that the world's seas, oceans and navigable waters are properly surveyed and charted. It does this through the setting of international standards for hydrographic surveys, the co-ordination of the endeavors of the world's national hydrographic offices, and through its capacity building program.

The IHO enjoys observer status at the United Nations, where it is the recognized competent authority on hydrographic surveying and nautical charting. When referring to hydrography and nautical charting in conventions and similar instruments, it is the IHO standards and specifications that are normally used.

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