A database management system (DBMS) consists of an interrelated set of data and programs to access that data. The DBMS provides several levels of abstraction to simplify interaction between users and the stored data. It defines data structures to store information and mechanisms to manipulate the data while ensuring data safety, integrity, and security. The DBMS is controlled by a database administrator and provides advantages like reduced data redundancy, data sharing, and integrity. It uses data models and definition/manipulation languages to define, retrieve, modify, and maintain the stored data.