The carbon-based material according to the present invention has been doped with non-metallic atoms, e.g., nitrogen atoms, and metallic atoms. In a radial distribution function obtained by subjecting the K-edge EXAFS of the metallic atoms to Fourier transform, the ratio of the intensity (A) for the maximum peak appearing around the coordination bond distance between a metallic atom and a non-metallic atom to the intensity (B) for the maximum peak appearing around the metallic-bond distance between metallic atoms, A / B, is 4.0 or higher. However, if the metallic atoms are platinum atoms, the A / B ratio in a radial distribution function obtained by subjecting the LIII-edge EXAFS of the platinum atoms to Fourier transform is 4.0 or higher.