The Gulf of Mexico is a unique, semi-enclosed sea located between the Yucatan and Florida peninsulas, at the southeast shores of the United States. Sometimes it is also called 'America's Sea'.
The Gulf of Mexico borders five of the 50 United States (Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas), and also Cuba and the eastern part of Mexico.
Seawater from the Caribbean Sea enters the Gulf through the Yucatan Strait; it then circulates (rather quickly) in a clockwise loop current before exiting the gulf through the Florida Straits into the Atlantic Ocean, forming the Gulf Stream, one of the most powerful water currents on the planet.
The Gulf is a spectacular space with an astonishing diversity of species, and yet it may also be one of the most imperiled. Check out some of the most interesting facts about the Gulf of Mexico that will inspire you at Treehugger.com.