In a sliding bearing, load carrying capacity and bearing rigidity is increased without increasing a size of the bearing and the pressure of the fluid. The sliding bearing comprises a cylindrical-shaped sleeve supporting a rotatable shaft via fluid, and hydrostatic pressure pockets provided in the inner periphery of the sleeve. The hydrostatic pressure pockets constitute a plurality of rows of circumferentially disposed hydrostatic pressure pockets via orifices. At least one of the hydrostatic pressure pocket rows is arranged adjacently to each of both end portions of the inner periphery of the sleeve. And a circular cylindrical inner peripheral surface region without the hydrostatic pressure pockets is provided at a center portion of the sleeve. A width of the circular cylindrical inner peripheral surface region provided in the axial direction of the shaft is made wider than a sum of widths of the hydrostatic pressure pocket rows.