Pagans are a diverse group of people. The dictionary defines "pagan" as 'one who is not a Christian, Muslim or Jew - especially a worshipper of a polytheistic religion'. Now, there are a LOT of other places with different definitions, so we aren't going to go thru them all. I think that definition works fairly well for my purposes here.
Paganism is a collection of contemporary religions inspired by indigenous traditions of the world. Generally they are Earth-centered in their spirituality and polytheistic, however this is not true of ALL pagans. Some pagan religions are re-constructions of ancient historical practices, where as others are entirely new or based on other traditions. The relationship to Divinity is usually characterized by polytheism, although there are less common beliefs such as pantheism, animism, atheism and agnosticism, to include a few.
Pagans view their relationship with Divinity as very personal, and it is up to each individual to develop this relationship. There is no holy book, common creed or group of religious representatives. Pagans do not seek to convert others, as choosing one’s own path and belief system is highly valued.
Intellectual and spiritual freedom are values which are shared in this culture of personal exploration. Gender equity, personal responsibility, faith, justice, honesty, respect, courage and creativity are also, generally, highly valued.
Pagan religions are a way of life, celebrating marriage, birth, death, specific historic events and / or natural transitions such as lunar and solar phases. Also celebrated by most pagans is the Wheel of the Year, although some traditions only celebrate the solstices and equinoxes and others celebrate holidays that are not included in the Wheel.
Although Paganism predates modern monotheism, its origins are lost in ancient history. Pagans also sometimes call themselves Heathens, among other things. Like the word pagan, this came to mean a person holding onto pre-Christian customs and beliefs.
The term Neo-Pagan or Neo-Paganism seems to have been coined to categorize the many Wicca-based traditions that have exploded onto the scene.