When did they call Australia Australia?

Answer 1

The name "Australia" was first proposed by sea explorer Matthew Flinders in the early 1800s, as part of the full name Terra Australis, meaning Southern Land. The actual name "Australia" was then adopted in 1824.

The name Australia comes from the Latin term 'terra australis incognita', meaning "unknown southern land", because for so long the continent of Australia was theorised, but not realised.

Matthew Flinders did not discover Australia, but he was the first to circumnavigate the continent. He suggested the name "Terra Australis" and this became Australia, the name officially adopted in 1824.

Prior to this, Australia was known by the Dutch as New Holland (from the early 1600s), whilst in 1770 James Cook claimed the eastern half of the continent as New South Wales, on behalf of England.

For more details on how the term Terra Australisoriginally came about, please see the related link.

Answer 2

Australia was previously known as New Holland in the west and New South Wales in the east. Matthew Flinders first proposed the name "Terra Australis", which became "Australia", the name adopted in 1824. This, however, was only the name for the continent. The country of Australia did not come into being until all the colonies on the continent of Australia federated in 1901, creating the Commonwealth of Australia.

Answer 3

As a sovereign state, Australia has always been known as Australia.

Originally, Australia was inhabited by Aborigines who had a grasp on their locality but did not concern themselves with the nature of the whole continent. They are not known to have had a name for the continent.

Once European exploration in the area commenced, Australia was initially known as Terra Australis Incognita, meaning "Unknown Southern land".

From the 1600s, the Dutch traders named the western half of the continent New Holland. But for many years, the continent was still referred to as Terra Australis Incognita on Dutch and Portuguese maps.

When Captain James Cook charted the eastern coast in 1770, he claimed it for England under the name of New South Wales. In between this time, some map-makers of the 1700s called it the Great South Land.

Matthew Flinders was the one who first proposed the name "Terra Australis", which became "Australia", the name adopted in 1824.

As a sovereign state, Australia has always been known as Australia.

Answer 4

1824.

The name "Australia" was first proposed by sea explorer Matthew Flinders in the early 1800s, as part of the full name Terra Australis, meaning Southern Land. The actual name "Australia" was then adopted in 1824.

Answer 5

The name 'Australia' was officially adopted in 1824. It was the name recommended by Matthew Flinders in 1814, and came into popular use gradually during the 1800s. In 1901, the newly-formed nation became the Commonwealth of Australia.

Answer 6

From the Latin, Terra Australis, meaning southern land. The name "Australia" is derived from the Latin word Australis, meaning "Southern".

Answer 7

The name "Australia" was officially adopted in 1824. It was originally suggested by Matthew Flinders as early as 1814, and the term was used sporadically through the early 1800s.