The thin-film magnetic head comprises a gap layer, coil layer, insulating layer, and top magnetic pole layer stacked in sequence on the bottom magnetic pole layer, and a magnetic gap formed at the end position of the gap layer. The top magnetic pole layer is magnetically joined to the bottom magnetic pole layer over the whole width at the opposite position of the magnetic gap. All these enable an easy production of the thin-film magnetic head keeping the magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit small and having a structure appropriate to a higher recording density.