Python is a simple yet powerful programming language that can be used for a wide range of applications. It has an easy to read syntax and is free and open source. Python code is interpreted at runtime and variable types are automatically determined. Python supports object oriented programming concepts like classes, inheritance and modules. It can be used for tasks like text processing, web development, scientific computing, and more. Guido van Rossum created Python in 1991, building upon languages like Perl and Java.