A thermally conductive formed article according to the present invention includes a matrix, and short carbon fibers which are present in the matrix. The short carbon fibers are oriented in a fixed direction in the matrix. A ratio I.sub.(002)/I.sub.(110) between an intensity I.sub.(110) of a diffraction peak ascribable to a (110) surface of carbon and an intensity I.sub.(002) of a diffraction peak ascribable to a (002) surface of carbon, occurring when X-rays are irradiated onto the thermally conductive formed article along the direction of orientation of the short carbon fibers, is 10 or less.