A permanent magnet is a magnet that is permanent, in contrast to an electromagnet, which only behaves like a magnet when an electric current is flowing through it. Permanent magnets are made out of substances like magnetite (Fe3O4), the most magnetic naturally occurring mineral, or neodymium, a powerfully magnetic synthetic substance. The Earth itself is a huge permanent magnet, though its magnetic field is quite weak relative to its size. Humans have used the magnetic field of the Earth for navigation since the compass was invented in ancient China.
Even the most powerful permanent magnet is not as strong as the stronger electromagnets, so their applications are limited, but they still have many uses. The most mundane would be use as refrigerator magnets, but magnets can be found everywhere, including your hard disk, ATM and credit cards, speakers and microphones, electric motors, and toys. Electric motors work through an interaction between an electromagnet and a permanent magnet.
Every permanent magnet generates a magnetic field, just like any other magnet, which circulates around the magnet is a distinct pattern. The size of the magnetic field is related to the size of the magnet and its strength. The easiest way to view a magnetic field generated by a permanent magnet is to scatter iron filings around a bar magnet, which quickly orient themselves along the field lines.