I figured it’d just be the three Continental neighbors that get their names in the Gulf, otherwise you’re leaving out all the other Caribbean neighbors. I guess it could be the Gulf of Jamaica, Mexico, US, Cuba, and Hispaniola.
The Gulf of Mexico is basically the bit of water contained if you draw a line from the eastern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula to the western tip of Cuba and then a second line from the northernmost point of Cuba to the southernmost point of Florida. The stuff off the north coast of South America is all the Caribbean Sea
Because if you define it the way I described, you’re referring to a relatively well-contained patch of water as far as seas go. It’s like asking why Romania doesn’t border the Mediterranean: the Turkish straits are enough of a barrier for it to be useful for us to consider the Black Sea a separate thing.
With the Gulf of Mexico, the gaps between Mexico and Cuba and Cuba and Florida are narrow enough the it affects the behaviour of the tides, and historically if you controlled one of those three points you could make it difficult for someone else to get past you into the gulf. If you combine it with the Caribbean you’ve now got one name for patch of water even though it’s in two halves of that are quite meaningfully different and divided from one another. You’re right that it’s ultimately just whatever we decide to call it, but defining the gulf as the bit northwest of Cuba has historically been useful so it’s where the definition settled
I’m partial to the Gulf of Canada+US+Mexico. That way everyone gets a slice of the pie!EDIT After a geography lesson, I have changed my mind. It should be the Gulf of Cuba+US+Mexico - thanks to everyone for the enlightenment!
The Gulf of C.U.M. for short.
The C is for Cuba, BTW.
I figured it’d just be the three Continental neighbors that get their names in the Gulf, otherwise you’re leaving out all the other Caribbean neighbors. I guess it could be the Gulf of Jamaica, Mexico, US, Cuba, and Hispaniola.
The Gulf of J-MUCH is pretty good
Mexico, the US , snd Cuba are the only countries on the Gulf. The islands you have mentioned are in the Caribbean, not the Gulf of Mexico.
Huh. You’re right. It is the Gulf of Cuba, US, and Mexico!
Is the northern part of South America not considered to border the gulf?
The Gulf of Mexico is basically the bit of water contained if you draw a line from the eastern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula to the western tip of Cuba and then a second line from the northernmost point of Cuba to the southernmost point of Florida. The stuff off the north coast of South America is all the Caribbean Sea
Yeah but it’s all arbitrary anyway though. Why does Cuba border it but Panama or Costa Rica does not?
Because if you define it the way I described, you’re referring to a relatively well-contained patch of water as far as seas go. It’s like asking why Romania doesn’t border the Mediterranean: the Turkish straits are enough of a barrier for it to be useful for us to consider the Black Sea a separate thing.
With the Gulf of Mexico, the gaps between Mexico and Cuba and Cuba and Florida are narrow enough the it affects the behaviour of the tides, and historically if you controlled one of those three points you could make it difficult for someone else to get past you into the gulf. If you combine it with the Caribbean you’ve now got one name for patch of water even though it’s in two halves of that are quite meaningfully different and divided from one another. You’re right that it’s ultimately just whatever we decide to call it, but defining the gulf as the bit northwest of Cuba has historically been useful so it’s where the definition settled
Hey, that makes no sense, Canada doesn’t have any coastline on the gulf!
It’ll have to be Cuba, USA, Mexico
You made me check: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_proposed_provinces_and_territories_of_Canada
We do not.
Donald Trump would probably request a bigger part of the name
Golf of MCDonald