A nonaqueous electrolyte battery includes a positive electrode and a negative electrode. The positive electrode comprises a positive electrode layer containing a metal compound. The metal compound contains lithium and at least one kind of metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, manganese, iron and vanadium. The negative electrode comprises a negative electrode layer containing a negative electrode active material having a Li ion insertion potential not lower than 0.4 V (vs. Li/Li.sup.+). The positive electrode layer and the negative electrode layer satisfy formulas (1) to (3) given below: 0.5m2/g.ltoreq.S.sub.n.ltoreq.50m.sup.2/g (1) 5.ltoreq.(S.sub.n/S.sub.p).ltoreq.100 (2) 0.5.ltoreq.(L.sub.p/L.sub.n)<1 (3).