An optical recording medium with a high productivity is provided which can
certainly record/reproduce data even when a blue or blue-violet laser
beam is used as an irradiation light. An optical recording medium has a
substrate and a recording layer. The recording layer includes a recording
portion and a coating portion. The recording portion and the coating
portion are all made substantially from Bi and O. The ratio of the number
of O atoms to the total number of Bi atoms and O atoms of the coating
portion is less than that of the recording portion. The ratio of the
number of O atoms of the recording portion is in the range of from 62% to
77%. The ratio of the number of O atoms to the total number of Bi atoms
and O atoms of the coating portion is in the range of from 60% to 70%.