FIBA - World Championships will see red - and a lot of it

ISTANBUL (2010 FIBA World Championship) - The colour red will feature quite prominently in this summer's FIBA World Championship, in no small part because it is the main colour on the national flag of hosts Turkey.

However, a close look at the flags of the other 23 countries competing in the event reveals red is an incredibly popular colour around the world.

It features in the national colours of 20 out of the 24 teams that will be competing in Turkey this summer.

White, the other colour that completes the Turkish flag, ranks second, appearing on 18 national banners in total.

Flag colours may not seem to count for much on the surface, but there seems to be a secret language about them.

For example, red usually symbolises war and blood, while white is associated with peace, freedom and liberty.

Colours such as yellow, green and blue have different meanings and uses in different parts of the world.

In Brazil's flag, the yellow symbolises the country's gold reserves while for Lithuania it represents the nation's golden fields and its productive land.

The Lithuanians' use of green refers to their beautiful countrysides. In comparison, the Ivory Coast use that same colour to express hope.

As for Turkey, they are not the only ones bearing the colours red and white, as Canada, Jordan and Tunisia will also be displaying those proudly (as well as black and green in Jordan's case).

But no doubt the sea of red and white that is to be expected in Ankara, Istanbul and across the country will first and foremost be in support of the homegrown heroes.

FIBA World Championship national teams flag colours
Angola: Red, Black, Yellow
Argentina: Blue, White, Yellow
Australia: Blue, Red, White
Brazil: Green, Yellow, Blue
Canada: Red, White
China: Red, Yellow
Croatia: Red, White, Blue
France: Blue, White, Red
Germany: Black, Red, Yellow
Greece: Blue, White
Iran: Green, White, Red
Ivory Coast: Orange, White, Green
Jordan: Red, Black, White, Green
Lebanon: Red, White, Green
Lithuania: Yellow, Green, Red
New Zeland: Blue, Red, White
Puerto Rico: Blue, Red, White
Russia: White, Blue, Red
Serbia: Red, Blue, White
Slovenia: White, Blue, Red
Spain: Red, Yellow
Tunisia: Red, White
Turkey: Red, White
USA: Red, White, Blue

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