Python is a general purpose programming language created by Guido van Rossum in 1991. It is an interpreted, interactive, object-oriented language with a simple syntax. Python supports cross-platform development and is widely used for scripting, game development, and building desktop and mobile applications. To use Python, developers must download the Python interpreter and can write and run code using the interactive shell or integrated development environments like IDLE. The document then discusses Python's multi-paradigm programming style, advantages like rapid development, and how to install Python and write basic programs using variables, operators, and data types.