The urethra is a tube that drains urine from the bladder out of the body. In men, the urethra is about 8 inches (20 centimeters) long, ending at the tip of the penis. In women, the urethra is about 1½ inches (4 centimeters) long, ending at the vulva (the area of the external female genital organs).

Last full review/revision November 2012 by Navin Jaipaul, MD, MHS