Definite Article with Unique Things, Places, and Names

Use “the” with:

1. unique things (the sun, the internet)
2. public places (the bank, the hospital, the cinema)
3. rivers, oceans, seas (the Nile, the Pacific Ocean)
4. groups (the Alps)
5. organizations, museums, historical periods (the United Nations, the British Museum, the Renaissance)

Do NOT use “the” with:

1. most countries and cities (France, Japan, London)
2. people’s names (Anna, David)
3. mountains with Mount (Mount Everest, Mount Kilimanjaro)

Special cases:

1. we say the + river name (the Amazon, the Nile)
2. we can also say the + river name + River (the Amazon River)
3. we say the + ocean name (the Pacific Ocean)