No article is
used before the names of:
1. all continents: Asia ,America
2. most countries : Great Britain, France, Italy
3. some provinces : Liberia
4. all counties and states : Yorkshire , Alabama ,Arkansas
5. all villages ,towns and cities: London ,Moscow
Note1
If all these names are preceded by modifiers of historic or
geographical character articles are not used either .For example :
North America , West Scotland, ancient Rome , Modern Brazil
Note2
The name of one of the capitals of the Netherlands is used
with the definite article The Hague
6. all separate islands : Wight ,Ceylon, Sicily
7. all separate mountain peaks: Elbrus , Everest
8. all peninsulas : Kamchatka
The definite article is used with the names of:
1. all rivers : The Thames , The Volga
2. all lakes : The Baikal , The Como
3. All seas and oceans: The Mediterranean sea, The Pacific Ocean
4. mountain regions and chains : The Alps , The Urals
5. groups of islands : The Hawaii
6. deserts : The Sahara , The Gobi
Besides the definite article is used before the names of some countries
and provinces: The Ukraine, The United States, The Netherlands , The
Argentine ,The Crimea ,The Caucasus ,The Ruhr , The Riveira.
The indefinite article is used before geographical names only figuratively
.For example : I could not spend all my life crossing such a Sahara!
