A database is a collection of information that is organized so that it can be easily accessed, managed, and updated. Databases store data in one or more tables, which each contain records and fields. Some key reasons for using a database include that they allow large amounts of information to be stored efficiently, they make finding and sorting data quickly and easy, and they allow multiple users to access the same data simultaneously. Common examples of databases include those used by schools to store student records, hospitals to store patient information, and the government to store tax records. Proper security measures are important to protect database content and users from unauthorized access.