Wikipedia is a free, multilingual online encyclopedia created and edited by volunteers around the world and hosted by the nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation. Its purpose is to make knowledge available to everyone, offering readers a place to explore information across a vast range of subjects. The site features millions of articles in many languages, including English, Japanese, German, French, Spanish, and Chinese, alongside editions in numerous other languages and regional varieties. Users can search and read articles directly, with the breadth of available content varying by language.

Wikipedia presents itself as an independent source of human-created knowledge, rather than a platform designed to sell advertising or place information behind a paywall. The Wikimedia Foundation relies in part on reader donations to meet the costs of keeping the encyclopedia available and free to use. Wikipedia’s service is therefore centered on open access to information, supported by volunteer contributions and nonprofit stewardship. Its broad language coverage and collaborative model make it a widely accessible resource for readers seeking facts and general knowledge.