A Rutile-type titanium dioxide having a rectangular particulate form configured such that major axial planes of rod-shaped particles having a minor axis diameter of 3 to 10 nm are oriented and aggregated in the minor axial direction, and a rod-shaped rutile-type titanium dioxide obtained by treating the rectangular rutile-type titanium dioxide with heat, wherein an apparent average major axial length of the oriented and aggregated particles is 100 to 400 nm, an apparent average minor axial length thereof is 30 to 150 nm, an apparent average axial ratio represented by apparent average major axial length/apparent average minor axial length is 2 to 5 and a specific surface area thereof is 10 to 100 m 2 /g.