The vulva is the external part of the female genital area; it is located on the outside of the body between the lower belly (pubic area) and the anus, at the very base of the pelvis.

Quick orientation

If a person with a vulva is standing up and you’re facing them from the front:

  • The mons pubis is the soft, often hair-covered mound just below the lower belly and above the rest of the genitals.
  • Just below that, between the thighs, is the vulva itself: the outer and inner “lips” (labia majora and labia minora) that you can see on the outside.
  • Between those inner lips are the openings of the urethra (where urine comes out) and the vagina, plus the clitoris at the top; all of these are still part of the vulva.
  • Below the vaginal opening is the perineum , the strip of skin that leads down to the anus; this lower area is considered part of the vulva region as well.

An easy way to remember it: the vulva is everything you can see on the outside when you look between the legs from the front, while the vagina is the internal canal inside the body.