Data structures allow for the efficient organization and storage of data in a computer's memory. They include primitive structures like integers and strings, as well as non-primitive structures like arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees, and graphs. Operations on data structures include traversing, searching, inserting, deleting, sorting, and merging. Abstract data types define the data type and operations that can be performed without specifying how they are implemented, separating the interface from the underlying implementation.