Ukraine, Congo, Bronx & Hague--and, Moderator, why was my question deleted?

Factual Questions
1

I asked this before but my thread seems to have disappeared.

Why is it that in recent years we hear of Congo and Ukraine,
when it used to be The Congo and The Ukraine? I appreciate the fact that maybe to the people who live there, the old
style seems vaguely colonial, since a name with “The” would
seem to be something given by outsiders. As in, “I’m going
to Africa to explore the Congo”.

Anyway what was the rationale for the change? Sound reasons notwithstanding it jars my internalized sense of
syntax whenever I hear it. What’s more, how come we still say The Bronx and The Hague?

2

go to page two.

3

I found your thread here

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=27673

4

The boards are a lot busier than they used to be. Please check out page 2 (and sometimes 3 or 4 or further) before assuming that a thread has been deleted, something that happens so rarely that Ed auctions off the rights to us. In some cases (like if one has not been by the MB in a couple of days) using the search function may be appropriate.

The old thread having been found (thanks, Kilgore and Bob), I’ll lock this one up.