The term Australia, originally intended as the "continent of the South," was derived from the Latin terraaustralis (land of the South). When the Europeans discovered the continent in the 17th century, they mistook it for a land directly across the Antarctic, hence the name "Australia." Australia was originally an Aboriginal settlement in Australia. At the beginning of the 17th century, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands arrived successively. Became a British colony in 1770, in 1901 formed the Commonwealth of Australia, became the British self-government. 1931 became an independent nation within the Commonwealth. Australia is a highly developed capitalist country, the capital of Canberra. As the country with the most developed economy in the southern hemisphere and the 12th largest economy in the world, the world's fourth largest exporter of agricultural products, which is also the number one country with many kinds of mineral exports in the world, [1] is therefore called "sitting in a cart country". At the same time, Australia is also the country that has the largest stocking and exporting of wool in the world. It is also known as "country riding in sheep back". With a highly urbanized population, nearly half of the population lives in Sydney and Melbourne, and many of the country's cities have been voted one of the most livable places in the world. It is also a sports powerhouse, hosting a number of sport events throughout the world. Australia is an active member of the international community and a founding member of APEC. It is also a member of the United Nations, the Group of 20, the Commonwealth, the Pacific Security Treaty, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and the Pacific Islands Forum. latest news