what is an embargo

An embargo is a government restriction placed on the importation or exportation of goods, services, currency, and other values to any other country or state. It can be imposed both in war and peacetime, covering all aspects of trade and economic activity. Embargoes can be placed on specific categories of goods, scientific and technical information, transport, and other services. Embargoes are most often directed at a country or a group of countries, and they are designed to punish the targeted country for its actions and to deny it the means to carry out objectionable policies. Countries use embargoes to punish and deter objectionable behavior without resorting to military force, often in response to human rights violations and armed conflict. Embargoes can be a powerful tool, isolating the targeted country and denying it the benefits of international trade. However, countries dependent on global trade or technology imports are especially vulnerable to embargoes. Embargoes rarely result in a change in policy, much less in the targeted countrys government.