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Why are we not saying India as The India?

The geographic rule for definite articles only seems to be useful when the country’s name is obviously referring to a geographical feature. We don’t use definite articles with countries whose names now have tenuous connections to geographical features—like India (whose name originally came from the Indus River) or Indonesia (which derives from the Greek words for “Indian islands”).

We do not use articles with the names of countries.

    Japan is a developed nation. (NOT The Japan)
    I have been to England. (NOT...to the England)
    India is a secular republic. (NOT The India)
    He has just returned from South Africa. (NOT …the South Africa)

But we use 'the' if the name of the country or organization specifically states that it is a collection of states. (For example, The United States, The United Arab Emirates, The United Nations etc.)


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