Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has said her government is suing the technology giant Google for changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. 

A decree issued by Republican President Donald Trump sought to rename the whole gulf, including waters that border on Mexico and Cuba — an order with which Google has complied for US users of its Maps service.

What has Sheinbaum said about the Gulf of Mexico?

"Google is already being sued. There has already been a first resolution, and it is awaited," Sheinbaum said at a press conference.

"What we are saying is that Google should put Gulf of America, where it is Gulf of America, which is the part that corresponds to the territory of the United States, and put Gulf of Mexico to the territorial part that corresponds to Mexico and Cuba."

Google has said the changes align with its policy of following official United States government geographic designations through the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).

Mexico's Foreign Ministry had previously sent letters to Google asking it not to label Mexican territorial waters as the Gulf of America.

Trump proposed the name change even before taking office when Sheinbaum comically suggested renaming North America as "Mexican America" — in line with the wording of an antecedent document to Mexico's constitution.

Why has Trump changed the Gulf of Mexico's name?

Shortly after taking office, US President Donald Trump ordered the renaming of the large sea inlet along the southern US coast and eastern Mexico, citing a tribute to "American greatness."

The waterway, known by its current name since the 16th century, borders the US states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, as well as parts of Mexico and Cuba.

Trump's order only applies within the US. Mexico, other countries and international bodies do not have to recognize the change.

In February, the White House banned the AP news agency from the White House press pool and other official events for not following Trump's renaming order in its news coverage.

Edited by: Louis Oelofse