first english colonists arrived in 1607. dutch in 1624.  so its like 400 years.  and its not from nothing. the european empires provided manpower, technology, resources, military, etc. everything needed to startup. and later market for goods, and everything until 1776. when changes happened but still its way beyond just "nothing".  australia is a better example in my opinion.  cook arrived there in 1770.
Serbia