This Mysterious Island Linked to a $22 Billion Oil Claim Appeared on Maps for Centuries, but Every Expedition Came Back Empty-Handed

Its supposed existence later shaped a $22 billion Gulf oil dispute. The story of Bermeja begins in 1535, when the island was included on the Carta Universal of the Spanish Empire. The island continued to appear on maps for generations and even remained in Mexican school textbooks. Centuries of Maps Pointed to an Island That Explorers Could Not FindThe belief in Bermeja survived long after doubts first emerged. Centuries later, Bermeja became significant during negotiations between Mexico and the United States over maritime boundaries in the Gulf of Mexico.