A concentration camp is a facility where large numbers of people, such as political prisoners, ethnic or religious minorities, or other targeted groups, are detained or confined without trial, often under harsh conditions and armed guard. The term is most commonly associated with camps established by the Nazis during World War II, where inmates were exploited, subjected to brutal treatment, and many perished. Concentration camps differ from extermination camps, which were specifically designed for mass murder. Historically, concentration camps have been used by various regimes to control, punish, or exploit groups deemed dangerous or undesirable by the state, often without legal due process.