Python is a high-level, general-purpose programming language created in 1991. It is used for web development through frameworks like Django and Flask, game development using PySoy and PyGame, artificial intelligence and machine learning through various open-source libraries, and desktop GUI applications with toolkits like PyQt and PyGtk. Python code is often more concise and readable than other languages due to its simple English-like syntax and ability to run on many platforms including Windows, Mac, Linux and Raspberry Pi.