Economic integration from 'BRICS' companies.

• Position: INTERNATIONAL - Brief article

Recent research reveals the extent of economic integration into the world economy by the BRICS--the acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa--notes global risks specialist Maplecroft.

Its Emerging Powers Integration Index shows the BRICS are firmly entrenched in the economies of their regional neighbors and in nations with mineral endowments and politically unstable or repressive states such as Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zimbabwe and Iran.

Of the developed economies, Australia is most highly integrated with the BRICS, ranking 37th overall and 20th in terms of economic integration with China (out of 185 countries). Since 2008, China has overtaken the United States to become Australia's second most important trading partner behind Japan.

Integration between China and Brazil is...