The colon is a long, U-shaped muscular tube that is part of the large intestine, located in the abdomen below the stomach. It begins at the cecum, where it connects to the small intestine, and extends to the rectum and anus. The colon is divided into four main parts:

• Ascending colon : on the right side of the abdomen, ascending upward from the cecum.
• Transverse colon : crossing the upper abdomen from right to left.
• Descending colon : on the left side of the abdomen, descending downward.
• Sigmoid colon : the S-shaped final part that connects to the rectum in the lower left abdomen.

Together, the colon and rectum are about 1.5 to 2 meters (5 to 6.5 feet) long. The colon absorbs water and nutrients from digested food and passes waste to the rectum for storage before elimination through the anus