In recent years Spain reached an impressive ninth in the rankings of world science (with 2.5% of publications),[38] but now faces a dismal situation due to the deep budget cuts entailed by the Spanish financial crisis.[39] One of the weaknesses of the Spanish system for science and technology (or national system for innovation)[40] is the lack of investment in R&D by private companies and their consequent dependence on public investment, a distinct contrast to other industrialised countries.[41]