<P> Most sources define the large intestine as the combination of the cecum, colon, rectum, and anal canal . Some other sources exclude the anal canal . </P> <P> In humans, the large intestine begins in the right iliac region of the pelvis, just at or below the waist, where it is joined to the end of the small intestine at the cecum, via the ileocecal valve . It then continues as the colon ascending the abdomen, across the width of the abdominal cavity as the transverse colon, and then descending to the rectum and its endpoint at the anal canal . Overall, in humans, the large intestine is about 1.5 metres (5 ft) long, which is about one - fifth of the whole length of the gastrointestinal tract . </P> <P> The colon is the last part of the digestive system . It extracts water and salt from solid wastes before they are eliminated from the body and is the site in which flora - aided (largely bacterial) fermentation of unabsorbed material occurs . Unlike the small intestine, the colon does not play a major role in absorption of foods and nutrients . About 1.5 litres or 45 ounces of water arrives in the colon each day . </P> <P> The length of the adult human male colon is 166 cm (range of 80 to 313 cm), on average, for females it is 155 cm (range of 80 to 214 cm). </P>

Where is water absorbed in the large intestine