Final answer:
An official ban on trade or other commercial activity with a particular country is called an embargo. These are often used to apply economic pressure, influence foreign policy, or as part of broader protectionist measures.
Step-by-step explanation:
An official ban on trade or other commercial activity with a particular country is called an embargo. This is a form of economic sanction used by one or more countries to apply pressure on the targeted nation. Governments employ embargoes to encourage or discourage trade, influence policy, or protest actions of another country, such as the full-scale trade embargo against Cuba implemented by the United States. Historically, embargoes have been used for various reasons. For instance, the United States and other nations once imposed an embargo on Iran to discourage its nuclear program ambitions. Moreover, during the Embargo Era of the US, trade with Britain and France was cut off in hopes of ending seizures at sea, but it primarily affected American commerce instead. Embargoes can also be a part of broader protectionist policies, which include tariffs and non-tariff barriers. These are used to protect domestic industries from foreign competition and have different effects on the economies involved.