C is a high-level, general-purpose programming language developed by Dennis Ritchie in 1972. It was originally designed for writing operating systems and system-level programs. C provides a rich set of built-in functions and operators, making it efficient and flexible. It combines the features of both high-level and low-level languages. This balance makes it powerful for both hardware-level tasks and software development.

One of the main features of C is its simplicity and speed. Programs written in C are fast and highly efficient, which is why it's used in system programming. It allows direct access to memory through the use of pointers. C also supports structured programming, making code easy to read and maintain. Its modular nature allows large programs to be divided into smaller functions.