Country Names

Question

America, Japan, Normay, Korea.....these countries are named without an article before their country names. The Philippines, the Netherlands, the Bahamas...always come with an article. Is that because they are counties with lots of islands?Please advise.LC

Inchoateknowledge · Accepted Answer

the Gambia and Fareoe Islands are my answer

Francesca · Answer

It's because their name is in the plural form; another example could be "the United States" (Actually the Netherlands are not islands but they are Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg in the middle of Europe)

Englishuser · Answer

FrancescaIt's because their name is in the plural form; another example could be "the United States" (Actually the Netherlands are not islands but they are Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg in the middle of Europe)

Beligum and Luxembourg are by no means parts of the Netherlands... What do you guys say about the Lebanon, the Sudan and the Congo?

Nona the brit · Answer

I think it's just a convention one way or the other. Some countries have 'the' as part of the name and some don't. I can't see any logical reason why it is one way or another. I did wonder if it could be when the country has a longer name that is shortened for its everyday name.

eThe Netherlands. full name: Kingdom of the Netherlands (and F, you are thinking of the phrase 'Benelux' to link those three countries)

The Congo: full name (ooh actually two countries share 'the Congo) The Republic of the Congo and The Democratic Republic of the Congo.

but then looking up Germany's full name (The Federal Republic of Germany) scuppered that theory!

Lcchang · Answer

Thank you for the information.

LC

Philip · Answer

Nona The BritI think it's just a convention one way or the other. Some countries have 'the' as part of the name and some don't. I can't see any logical reason why it is one way or another. I did wonder if it could be when the country has a longer name that is shortened for its everyday name.

eThe Netherlands. full name: Kingdom of the Netherlands (and F, you are thinking of the phrase 'Benelux' to link those three countries)

The Congo: full name (ooh actually two countries share 'the Congo) The Republic of the Congo and The Democratic Republic of the Congo.

but then looking up Germany's full name (The Federal Republic of Germany) scuppered that theory!

While I was growing up, we called them the "Low Countries". In fact, the first time I heard or saw Benelux was a week or so ago while looking at Eurail pass options, for an upcoming trip to Paris and northern France.

YoHf · Answer

FrancescaIt's because their name is in the plural form; another example could be "the United States" (Actually the Netherlands are not islands but they are Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg in the middle of Europe)

Yet the U.K. is not a plural noun.

[8]

Anonymous · Answer

The UK is short for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. So I think it is a plural noun? Here's a good guide:

Use 'the' before countries with 'of' in their name. Eg
the United States of America (the US)

the Republic of Ireland
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the UK)

the Kingdom of Lesotho

and use 'the' before countries made up of small islands.
the Maldives
the Bahamas
the Canary

(Eg Japan and New Zealand are made up of islands but they have a few big isands and then many much smaller islands)

and use 'the' before countries ending in 's'

the Netherlands
the Philipines

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