Geography and ‘The’

With geographic nouns, sometimes you use ‘the’ and sometimes you don’t. Confusing, right? No longer:

Don’t Use ‘The’

Single Mountains or Islands

Examples

Mount Hood, Madagascar

Most Countries and Continents

Examples

France, Algeria, North Korea, Australia, Antarctica

Streets, Squares, and Parks

Examples

Linden Street, Madison Square, Yosemite National Park

Bays, Single Lakes

Examples

Honolulu Bay, Lake Michigan

Cities, States, and Counties

Examples

Reno, Florida, Howard County

Use ‘The’

Groups of Islands

Example

the British Isles

Canals and Rivers

Examples

the Suez Canal, the Mississippi

Peninsulas

Examples

the Arabian Peninsula, the Iberian Peninsula

Country Names with of phrase

Examples

the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of South Korea

Mountain Ranges

Examples

the Cascades, the Andes

Oceans, Seas, and Gulfs

Examples

the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico

Large Regions and Deserts

Examples

the West Coast, the Gobi

License

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About Writing: A Guide Copyright © 2015 by Robin Jeffrey is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.