the Gulf of Mexico
/ðə ˌɡʌlf əv ˈmeksɪkəʊ/
/ðə ˌɡʌlf əv ˈmeksɪkəʊ/
- part of the western Atlantic Ocean between the south-east coast of the US, Mexico and Cuba. At its northern edge are the US gulf states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. The Gulf has wide white beaches that attract many tourists, but it is also an area of hurricanes (= violent storms with strong winds). The Gulf Stream is a current of warm water that flows from the Gulf of Mexico across the Atlantic to north-west Europe, affecting the climate there.