Mines remain one of the greatest threats to warships and shipping vessels alike. To counter the threat, navies of the world are forced to field an effective mine warfare force for neutralizing mines/minefields. Conversely, a mine warfare force can be called upon to lay down a minefields in strategic waters. For the purposes of the GFP final ranking, landlocked nations are not penalized for the lack of a standing naval force. However, nations with a standing navy are penalized for lack of certain naval assets.
Mine Warfare strength data through 2013.
Partial Sources: CIA.gov, CIA World Factbook, wikipedia.com, public domain print and media sources and user contributions. Some values may be estimated when official sources are lacking.