A color cathode ray tube includes in combination an in-line type electron gun assembly and a dot type phosphor screen, wherein an outer panel surface is made substantially flat, an inner surface is curved and a shadow mask has round apertures or holes while having a curved shape with a convex form as projected toward the panel. The display tube is featured in that the shadow mask holes have a horizontal direction pitch Ph and vertical direction pitch Pv, that the horizontal pitch Ph has a value at terminate ends of a minor axis of the shadow mask, which value is at least 5% greater than a pitch value at the center part of the shadow mask, and that a Ph/Pv value at the shadow mask minor axis ends is greater than that at the shadow mask center. With such an arrangement, it is possible to increase the mechanical strength at a part adjacent to the shadow mask minor axis in particular.