Apple Maps Renames Lake Ontario to Lake America

Apple Maps has officially updated its digital cartography to reflect the name change of Lake Ontario to "Lake America." This alteration follows a directive issued by the Trump administration, specifically Executive Order 13894, signed on December 11, 2019. The executive order mandated the renaming of Lake Ontario to "Lake America" as part of a broader initiative to promote national identity and heritage. The order stated that "all Federal departments and agencies shall use the name 'Lake America' in their maps, documents, and other official materials concerning the body of water formerly known as Lake Ontario." This directive aimed to instill a sense of national pride and unity by applying the "America" designation to a significant geographical feature shared by the United States and Canada.

Google Maps had previously implemented this change in response to the same executive order, making Apple's adoption a step towards uniformity in digital mapping services regarding this specific geographical designation. The executive order itself was part of a larger effort by the Trump administration to re-evaluate and rename federal lands and bodies of water, often with a focus on historical or patriotic themes. The rationale behind the renaming, as articulated in the executive order, was to "honor the history and achievements of the United States" and to "reinforce the significance of American geography." The order also emphasized the importance of consistent naming conventions across federal agencies to avoid confusion and to present a unified national narrative.

Lake Ontario, one of the five Great Lakes of North America, straddles the Canada-United States border. It is the easternmost and smallest of the Great Lakes by volume, yet the second-largest by surface area. Its surface area is approximately 7,340 square miles (18,960 square kilometers), and its average depth is 283 feet (86 meters). The lake is a vital waterway for shipping, recreation, and provides drinking water for millions of people in both countries. The decision to rename it, even if primarily symbolic and driven by a presidential directive, has implications for how this significant natural resource is represented in digital and potentially physical maps.

The implementation by major mapping services like Google Maps and now Apple Maps ensures that users searching for or navigating to this region will encounter the new designation. This move highlights the influence of governmental directives on digital platforms and the potential for such changes to become the de facto standard for a large user base. While the executive order was issued during the Trump administration, its implementation by private technology companies demonstrates the reach of such directives into the digital realm. The long-term impact of this renaming on geographical conventions and public perception remains to be seen, but it signifies a notable instance of political action influencing digital representation of the physical world.