What body of water touches the eastern coast of Mexico?

The body of water touching Mexico’s eastern coast is the Gulf of Mexico.

This large marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean borders Mexico’s eastern and southeastern shoreline, including the states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo. It also touches the southern United States and western Cuba.

The gulf connects with the Atlantic through the Straits of Florida and with the Caribbean Sea through the Yucatán Channel. Its name comes from Mexico, itself derived from the Mexica, the people who built the Aztec Empire. The name Gulf of Mexico appeared on European maps by the mid-16th century.

A common mix-up is the Pacific Ocean, which borders Mexico to the west. The Gulf of California is also on Mexico’s western side, between the Baja California Peninsula and the mainland. The Gulf of Mexico is famous for commercial fishing, offshore petroleum production, hurricanes, and the Loop Current, which feeds into the Gulf Stream.