Why Sometimes 'the'?

[Captain Spod]

Why do or did some countries have the definite article before their name? I don't mean The United States, Republic of Ireland etc. but The Lebanon, The Yemen, The Ukraine, to name just three. We would never say The Canada, The Italy etc. so what is or was the defining factor?
Thanks.
The Captain Spod.

[emeritus]

Not sure I can think of any Sovereign Country prefixed THE.

I don't agree with the three you have listed ?

[Captain Spod]

Thanks Murdo, that's helpful.
emeritus, you don't agree? A Google search will reveal that the three I mention have all been referred to in that way, also The Gambia, which I had forgotten. Do you mean you don't approve?

[Gromit]

Ukraine had 'The' lumped on them by the Russians who considered them to be a possession of Russia. Like we might say The North, or The Scots. Peope in Ukraine didn't use 'The' Ukraine, it was the Masters in Moscow who used it.

[Jackdaw33]

Unfortunately the word 'the' does not exist in Russian.

[Gromit]

Looking at your other examples, I suspect a similar reason. The 'The' was used when they were being referred to by a colonial master. The people in those countries would never use 'The' themselves.

[jim360]

Yes, but apart from that minor point, Jackdaw... :P

[Jackdaw33]

Gambia was originally called The Gold Coast.

[dannyk13]

Is The being used in a descriptive manner e.g Las Vegas(the plains) and Las Palmas (the palms).Maybe these countries names have a meaning to the natives.

[Gromit]

In the case of The Netherlands, that is a shortened version ofits full name, 'The Kingdom of the Netherlands'.

Apparently, only The Bahamas and The Gambia are officially 'The's.

[Gromit]

Dannyk

Ukraine means 'Borderlands'. So an English speaker would say 'The Borderlands'.

[Sipowicz]

I think Murdo nailed this in his link.

[dannyk13]

Gromit
Netherlands means low lands so in that case we would say The lowlands.

[chiaroscuro]

The Gold Coast is now Ghana.
Islamic Republic of The Gambia.

[bhg481]

emeritus - "Not sure I can think of any Sovereign Country prefixed THE". Don't you live in THE UK?

[bhg481]

As an aside, if you're going to see a play you go to THE theatre; if you need an operation you're taken "to theatre" ie, no "the". Where's the logic in that.

[EDDIE51]

We go to' The West End' for a night out even though it is part of London.
Eastenders is set in The East End.
Yemen , Ukraine, and Lebanon are normally referred to without a 'The' , in my experience at least. It is just habit.