A semiconductor device has a p-type substrate, a low-concentration n-type
region formed in the p-type substrate, a first high-concentration p-type
region formed in the low-concentration n-type region and connected to a
first electrode, a first high-concentration n-type region formed in the
low-concentration n-type region and connected via a resistive element to
the first electrode, a low-concentration p-type region formed
contiguously with the first high-concentration n-type region, a second
high-concentration n-type region and a second high-concentration p-type
region formed in the p-type substrate and connected to a second
electrode, and an element separator portion formed between the
low-concentration p-type region and the second high-concentration n-type
region. This makes it possible to control the switching characteristic of
the electrostatic protection circuit with high accuracy and thus to cope
with the thinning of the gate oxide film protected by the protection
circuit.