When you say "most countries" that's where you should drop a reference to back up such a claim.
With respect to homesteading in USA it was mainly a way to force the removal of indigenous peoples (especially in the great plains area where the people lived a nomadic hunting lifestyle---incombatible with land ownership and agriculture). Unless you can back up your "most" claims, I think most people will simply dismiss them. (Irony intended, to be clear, I will dismiss them but I have no evidence to say what most people will do).
You are correct, upon further research homestead laws were passed in the USA(than repealed), Canada, Australia and many countries in central and south America. As I have mainly traveled in the Americas I assumed that homesteading was common everywhere but appears to be more of a common law principle that became popular in the new world as a means to colonize large amounts of territory.
Although it doesn't refute the principle point of my message and post, I updated the post to ensure accuracy.