The large intestine or colon

While the small intestine is just 2.5 to 4cm in diameter, the diameter of the large intestine is approximately double that. It is the final part of the digestive system and connects the ileum with the anus and surrounds the small intestine on three sides, thus reaching a length of 1 to 1.50 metres. The colon itself is divided into four sections: the ascending colon, the transverse colon, the descending colon and the sigmoid colon. Its principal role is to absorb water from indigestible food remnants, with its primary function being to evacuate these remnants from the body in the form of faeces by means of peristalsis. The large intestine also contains intestinal flora composed of several dozen billion "good" intestinal bacteria for every millilitre of its contents. These bacteria ferment a significant portion of dietary fibre, thereby facilitating the transit of remnants into the large intestine. Remnants that are neither absorbed nor fermented are expelled from the body through the anus.