The Gambia is one of a very small number of countries for which the definite article is commonly used in its English-language name, other than cases in which the name is plural (the Netherlands, the Philippines) or includes the form of government (the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic). The article is also officially used by the country's government and by international bodies. The article was originally used because the region was named for "the Gambia River." In 1964, shortly prior to the country's independence, then-Prime Minister Dawda Jawara wrote to the Permanent Committee on Geographical Names for British Official Use requesting that the name ''the Gambia'' retain the definite article, in part to reduce confusion with Zambia which had also recently become independent. At present, both ''Gambia'' and ''the Gambia'' are in common use.