Mexico, Gulf of

Inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, situated between the USA to the north and Mexico to the west and south; area about 1,602,000 sq km/618,530 sq mi; maximum depth about 3,850 m/12,630 ft. The Yucatán current enters from the Caribbean Sea through the Yucatán Strait, and is the source of the Gulf Stream, which emerges from the gulf through the Florida Straits. There is commercial and recreational fishing.

The Gulf of Mexico is subject to hurricanes, many of which enter through the Yucatán Strait. Rivers draining into the gulf include the Mississippi, Alabama, and Rio Grande.

Water circulation is dominated by the Loop Current, with flow rates of 4.5-6.5 kph/2.8-4 mph; eddies break off carrying large amounts of water and marine life into the western gulf. The rivers flowing into the gulf discharge sediment, nutrients, and freshwater; about 410 million tonnes of sediment enter each year, and deposits are up to 17 km/11 mi thick. The rivers also carry pollutants which cause low levels of dissolved oxygen in the gulf.