A magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording comprises: a pole layer, a write shield layer, and a gap layer provided between the pole layer and the write shield layer. The pole layer incorporates a track width defining portion and a wide portion. The track width defining portion has an end located in a medium facing surface and defines the track width. The wide portion is coupled to the other end of the track width defining portion and has a width greater than the width of the track width defining portion. The value of NH.times.TH/WG is greater than zero and smaller than or equal to 0.85 .mu.m, where NH is the distance from the medium facing surface to the boundary between the track width defining portion and the wide portion, WG is the space between the pole layer and the write shield layer taken in the medium facing surface, and TH is the distance from the medium facing surface to a point at which the space between the pole layer and the write shield layer starts to be greater than WG.