Can we use singular or plural nouns with names of countries? [duplicate]

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When asked a question about Collective Nouns, I told them that it is all right to use a singular or plural verb after a Collective Noun, as in -

Here the class is taken as a whole.

Here the the individuals are taken into consideration rather than the class as a whole.

Now the question is: Do we use singular or plural verbs with the names of countries, which are proper nouns, for the same reason?

As in:

Dan Bron

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asked Jun 15, 2016 at 12:58

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In American English, principally the mass noun sense. In BrE, it varies, but they're more accommodating of the count noun sense.
– Dan Bron
Commented Jun 15, 2016 at 12:59
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With a country, treat it as singular. With a sports team, treat it as plural, eg "Bhutan are going through to the final, against all expectations"
– Max Williams
Commented Jun 15, 2016 at 13:14
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@DanBron, what do you mean "mass noun sense"? The question makes no mention of mass nouns.
– DyingIsFun
Commented Jun 15, 2016 at 13:15
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@DanBron, Gotcha, but in either case, it's not a mass noun. It's a difference between the ensemble reading of a collective noun (individuals taken as a singular entity) and the individual reading of a collective noun (individuals taken one by one). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_noun
– DyingIsFun
Commented Jun 15, 2016 at 13:19
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Duplicate of Can the name of a country be considered a plural noun, as a collective of e.g. its citizens? and Are collective nouns always plural, or are certain ones singular?
– TrevorD
Commented Jun 15, 2016 at 13:21

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