NumPy, short for Numerical Python, is a powerful open-source library in Python that is essential for scientific computing and data analysis. It provides a robust framework for creating and manipulating large, multi-dimensional arrays and matrices, along with a collection of mathematical functions to operate on these data structures. NumPy’s ndarray (N-dimensional array) is its core feature, allowing for efficient storage and manipulation of numerical data. With its ability to perform complex operations like linear algebra, statistical analysis, and random simulations, NumPy is widely used by data scientists and researchers, making it a fundamental tool in the Python ecosystem for numerical computing.