Encyclopædia Britannica Rejects "Gulf of America" Renaming amid Controversy

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The Encyclopædia Britannica has steadfastly refused to adopt the name "Gulf of America" for the region historically known as the Gulf of Mexico. The decision comes after Google Maps and Apple Maps made the controversial shift, which has sparked a national conversation in the United States. According to Britannica representatives, the term "Gulf of Mexico" has been in use for over 425 years and is recognized internationally. They emphasized, "We serve an international audience, a majority of which is outside the U.S. The Gulf of Mexico is an international body of water, and the U.S.'s authority to rename it is ambiguous."

This stance also extends to political debates surrounding the names of geographic sites, including Mount Denali, which was renamed from Mount McKinley during the Obama administration. Britannica stated that they will follow the U.S. Board on Geographic Names in any official changes. The ongoing situation highlights the complexities between domestic and international nomenclature as well as historical precedent.

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