Re: OT: countries with definite article

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≪It's not correct to refer to Lebanon as "the Lebanon" but the useage
probably dates from 80-90 years ago, when the geographical area now
occupied by Syria and Lebanon, (and perhaps Palestine) was described as
"the Levant."≫
Sounds plausible. The British Empire drew lines on maps and told lots of
nomadic peoples to stop wandering around and making it hard for the
British to administer them. The British invented quite a number of
countries, Iraq among them; wouldn't surprise me if they invented
Lebanon, too.
≪There is a country to the south of Canada that is often referred to as
"the United States."

andy t≫


Ah yes, that one. 'Bout due for regime change.