What exactly is handball?

that first answer is so far off its totaly rediculous.... Hand ball is played on one wall. (front) three walls.. (two sides and a front) and inside a room with four walls and a ceiling..... it is not anything like soccer, basketball or rugby. The closest thing to hand ball and the rules are just about the same is racquetball... The only time you can score is if you are serving. You serve from a set line to the front wall to the guy on defence and you try to score... Handball is absolutly not anything like any sport but racquetball... Some of those prior answers are rediculious..... Grant M in Pennsylvania

You can read about it here: http://www.nbcolympics.com/handball/insidethissport/basics/newsid=102327.html#basics

Handball has the same positions as soccer, there's defense, offense and a goal-keeper. Players throw the ball to each other in attempt to get goals. There's a large area around the goalie's post that players aren't allowed to enter - players get three large steps before they shoot a goal, however they aren't allowed to step inside the goalie's area (and one 'jump' step that can be slightly inside). The goalie is allowed to use any part of their body to block the ball, and the scoring is the same as soccer. :D That's all I know.