The present invention provides a membrane-electrode assembly for polymer electrolyte fuel cells and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell having excellent dimensional stability and mechanical strength, and having high durability at the time of a power generation. Each of polymer electrolyte membranes (111, 211, 311) have a region 1 having proton conductivity over the entirety in the thickness direction of the membrane and a region 2 located at the outer peripheral portion of the region 1 and having a non-porous sheet disposed so that the region 2 has no proton conductivity over the entirety in the thickness direction of the membrane, and outer edges of the catalyst layers (127, 128) are disposed so as to be located in the area 2.