Pop Quiz: What four countries account for over 50% of the world's population and nearly 30% of its total economic output, but represent just a tiny 6% sliver of its market capitalization?

If you read the title of our story, then you probably already know the answer: Brazil, Russia, India and China. However, what you may not realize is that this rapidly unwinding disconnect is still in the early stages.

With investors racking up an abundance of big winners in places like China, the prospecting for gains in these high-flying markets almost seems like a modern day gold rush. However, this boom is not based on speculation, but the most impressive economic development since the Industrial Revolution. And these emerging economic powerhouses will only gain strength through the first half of the 21st century -- providing unprecedented opportunities for investors.

The Cream of the Emerging Market Crop
While each emerging market offers its own unique set of opportunities for investors, the overriding consensus is that the four "BRIC" titans stand head-and-shoulders above all others. 

Brazil: Brazil has come a long way from the hyperinflation and currency devaluation that marred the country in the 1990s. President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva has knocked back inflation and created a trade surplus. He's also implemented disciplined fiscal reform that has GDP tracking towards a targeted +5% growth rate. Today, Brazil is the gem of Latin America, a leading exporter of iron ore and other natural resources and the world's 10th-largest economy.

Russia: Democratic reforms and deregulation have helped transform Russia from an inefficient bureaucracy into a global powerhouse that is slated to join the World Trade Organization. In recent years, disposable income has risen, corporate taxes have fallen, and fuel and industrial metals have been exported in huge quantities. With commodity prices surging and foreign direct investment (FDI) pouring in from abroad, Russia's economy is expected to grow at a +6% annualized clip over the next five years.

India: Once an agrarian-based society, India is rapidly modernizing and attracting an influx of new business, thanks in part to its highly skilled workforce. Over the past five years, economic growth has averaged a robust +9%, and the country's fiscal deficit has been cut in half. India now boasts of an annual GDP in excess of $1 trillion, one of only 12 countries worldwide to meet that level of production.

China: China has become the world's growth engine, importing nearly $1 trillion worth of goods last year and exporting far more than that. The country is a major manufacturing center, producing 70% of all toys, 50% of all shoes, and 33% of all televisions. And to feed its ravenous economy, it's also one of the largest consumers of oil, coal, steel and other resources. With one of the most powerful economic expansions ever seen, China is beginning to pull the entire global economy into its orbit.

The table below provides a brief snapshot of the economic outlook and recent market performance of each of these four countries.