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Britannica Sources used in this answer

How large is the Gulf of Mexico?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
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.
Gulf of Mexico / Gulf of America

The Gulf of Mexico (also referred to as the Gulf of America) covers an area of approximately 600,000 square miles (1,550,000 square km).12

Regarding its dimensions, the gulf’s greatest east-west extent is about 1,100 miles (1,800 km), while its greatest north-south extent is approximately 800 miles (1,300 km).2