Plurals: the Alps, the Bahamas, the Netherlands

‘adjective + place’ : the Black Sea, the Middle East, the West End (but NOT where (place’ is a country or continent: Northern Italy)

Phrases with ‘of’: the houses of Parliament, the South of France

Political constitutions : the Irish Republic, the United Kingdom (the UK), the United States (the US)

Rivers and canals: the Danube, the Suez Canal

Oceans and seas: the Atlantic, the Mediterranean

Roads with numbers: the A8

Theatres and at galleries : the Scala, the Louvre

Hotels: the Marriott (Hotel)

Famous buildings: the Eiffel Tower, the Tay Mahal, the White House