.A pair of "Havaianas" thongsA variety of colorful flip flops.Flip-flops are a very basic type of footwear. They are essentially a thin rubber sole with two simple straps running in a Y shape from the sides of the foot to the join between the big toe and next toe.  Some include a strap along the back heel. The popular use of flip-flops as simple warm climate beach or outdoor wear has spread through much of the world, although it is most common in India (where it is immensely popular and called a Hawaii chappal), ඕස්ට්‍රේලියාව, නවසීලන්තය, USA, Brazil, the Pacific Islands, and අග්නිදිග ආසියාව.  In most developing countries, rubber flip-flops are the cheapest footwear available, often typically costing less than $1. Some measures may be used to reduce cost, such as making them out of recycled tires.[2] Because of their low cost they are very widely used in these countries as typical footwear instead of a fashion statement. Despite their disposable design, street vendors will repair w