gulf of mexico, is it part of the atlantic

one argument that popped up last night, i said that mexico has 2 oceans bordering it, the pacific and atlantic. they argued saying it has the pacific and gulf of mexico, but the gulf of mexico is part of the atlantic ocean so therefore it has 2 oceans bordering it. i am looking for opinions cos it wrecked my head, a gulf is not a sea, in my opinion it is basically an inlet

Spudmonkey

Wikipedia says its part of the Atlantic. I believe everything Wikipedia says.

Hard to call, at what point does an almost enclosed body of water stop becoming part of the Atlantic and become a sea (like the Mediterranean). Is it because the GOM is connected in two places on either side of Cuba or is it because these spans of water are wider?

Who knows. I'd say ye are both kinda right.

mike65

Gulf is a part of the Atlantic albeit a part with its own specific characteristics. The Med while not enclosed is sufficiantly isolated from the Atlantic to be considered a seperate body of water.