Gulf of Mexico / Gulf of America

Introduction & Top Questions
Physical features
- Physiography and geology
- Hydrology
- Climate
European exploration and naming
Plants and animals
Economic aspects
- Mineral resources
- Recreation
Study and the impact of human activity

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images & Videos

Map of the Gulf of Mexico showing surrounding regions of the United States, Mexico, Cuba, and the Yucatan Peninsula. The map highlights underwater features such as shelves, escarpments, canyons, and the Mexico Basin, with varying shades of blue indicating water depths. Major coastal cities like Houston, New Orleans, Tampa, and Havana are labeled, and spot depths are marked in meters.

Satellite image of Hurricane Katrina as a large, well-defined spiral with a clear eye over the Gulf of Mexico, approaching the southern United States coastline.

Historical depiction of the Gulf of Mexico

Map of the Gulf of Mexico showing the exclusive economic zones of the United States in blue, Mexico in green, and Cuba in red, with a small area of international waters marked in gray. A pie chart below the map displays the percentage and surface area controlled by each: Mexico holds the largest share, followed by the United States, then Cuba, with a small portion as international waters.

Dark oil stains cover patches of white sand on Pensacola Beach, Florida, with green waves and a long pier extending into the Gulf of Mexico in the background.

Map of the Gulf of Mexico showing the location of BP's Deepwater Horizon oil rig and the approximate extent of the oil spill, which spreads outward from the rig toward the northern Gulf coast. The map highlights affected coastal areas in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, with red lines marking where oil was found onshore. Major ocean currents such as the Loop Current and a detached eddy are also indicated.

Map of the Gulf of Mexico showing physical features such as continental shelves, escarpments, canyons, and basins, with shaded areas indicating water depth. Surrounding countries and U.S. states, major cities like Houston, New Orleans, Tampa, and Havana, and key geographic features including the Yucatan Peninsula and Bay of Campeche are labeled. An inset locator map shows the Gulf's position in North America.

How artificial lighting affects wildlife

At a Glance

Gulf of Mexico / Gulf of America summary

Quizzes

water glass on white background. (drink; clear; clean water; liquid)

Water and its Varying Forms

Related Questions

How are oyster shells from Gulf of Mexico waters used by industry?
How can oil spills affect Gulf of Mexico beaches and marine life?
How deep is Sigsbee Deep in the Mexico Basin?
How did Hurricane Katrina affect the Gulf Coast around New Orleans?
How did fertilizer runoff contribute to oxygen-depleted areas in the Gulf of Mexico?
How did the 1900 Galveston hurricane affect the Gulf Coast region?
How does the Gulf Coast support the economies of Texas, Louisiana, and Florida?
How does the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway connect communities along the Gulf Coast?
How far from its coast can a country claim territorial waters under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea?
How far offshore can an exclusive economic zone extend under the Law of the Sea?
How is the Gulf of Mexico connected to the Atlantic Ocean?
How is the Gulf of Mexico connected to the Caribbean Sea?
How is the Gulf of Mexico different from the Gulf of California?
How large is the Gulf of Mexico?
How were salt domes formed beneath the Gulf of Mexico?
How wide is the continental shelf around the Gulf of Mexico?
What are the Sigsbee Knolls?
What materials make up the continental shelf off Florida and the Yucatán Peninsula?
When did the name Gulf of Mexico first appear in historical records?
When is the official hurricane season in the Gulf of Mexico?
Where are the Straits of Florida located?
Where is the Yucatán Channel located?
Where is the deepest point in the Gulf of Mexico?
Which U.S. states border the Gulf of Mexico?
Which earlier names have been used for the Gulf of Mexico?
Which fish and shellfish are important to commercial fishing in the Gulf of Mexico?
Which major hurricanes have caused severe damage along the Gulf Coast?
Which major ports are located along the U.S. Gulf Coast?
Which mineral resources are extracted from the Gulf of Mexico continental shelf?
Which recreational activities are popular in the Gulf of Mexico?
Which river has the greatest effect on salinity in coastal Gulf of Mexico waters?
Why are buried salt domes important to oil and natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico?
Why can hurricanes strengthen as they move through the Gulf of Mexico?
Why did the U.S. federal government begin using the name Gulf of America in 2025?
Why do currents in the western Gulf of Mexico vary by season?
Why does the Gulf of Mexico continental shelf vary in width?
Why does the name Gulf of Mexico remain widely used after the 2025 U.S. executive order?
Why have Gulf Coast wetlands and mangrove areas been lost?
Why is menhaden caught in large quantities in the Gulf of Mexico?
Why is the water near the Mississippi River delta less salty than the open Gulf of Mexico?
Where is the Gulf of Mexico located?
What mineral resources are found in the Gulf of Mexico?
When does hurricane season occur in the Gulf of Mexico?
Where is Curaçao located?
What languages are spoken in Curaçao?
Why has trade been important to Curaçao’s economy?
Why is the 2026 FIFA World Cup significant for Curaçao?
What islands make up Guadeloupe?
What is the climate in Guadeloupe?
Where is Mississippi located in the United States?

Geography & Travel Physical Geography of Water

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External Websites

National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - The Gulf of Mexico: A Â“Hot ZoneÂ” for Neglected Tropical Diseases?
Texas State Historical Association - Handbook of Texas - Gulf of Mexico

Britannica Websites

Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

Gulf of Mexico/Gulf of America - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
Gulf of Mexico / Gulf of America - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Gulf of Mexico / Gulf of America

gulf, North America

Also known as: Golfo de México, Gulf of America, Gulf of Mexico(Show More)

Written by

Richard A. Geyer

Emeritus Professor of Oceanography, Texas A&M University, College Station.

Richard A. GeyerAll

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Nov. 13, 2026 •History

Gulf of Mexico / Gulf of America, partially landlocked body of water on the southeastern periphery of the North American continent. It is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the Straits of Florida, running between the peninsula of Florida and the island of Cuba, and to the Caribbean Sea by the Yucatán Channel, which runs between the Yucatán Peninsula and Cuba. Both of these channels are about 100 miles (160 km) wide. The gulf’s greatest...