A limited number of proper names in English take the definite article. The list below is of special cases that must be memorized.
Rules
editNames which always take the definite article:
- Plural nouns and implicit plural nouns (mountain ranges)
- Adjectival names, such as the names of rivers, or abbreviated names of regions whose full name ends in a generic noun
- Titles (the Pope, the Aga Khan, the Dalai Lama)
Exceptions
editStars and celestial objects
editCountries and regions
editCountries
Names that occasionally or formerly took the definite article
Ambiguously plural countries and abbreviations
- The Netherlands
- The USSR
- The USA
- the DPRC, the DPRK, ....
Regions
Cities and neighborhoods
editGeographic regions
editMountains
References
editcategory:names