A two-dimensional code (30, 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 30e), comprising: two types of light-colored and dark-colored cells arrayed in a matrix and provided adjacently to each other to compose a rectangular code area on or in a carrier medium, all the cells having the same size and each representing a unit of information, the code area being positionally defined on or in the carrier medium by fixed four patterns (33a, 33b, 33c, 33d) located at four corners of the code area, the code area having a data recording area and four edges (34; 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d), each of the four edges (34; 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d) being located at an end of the code area and formed by a single row of the cells, the single row being part of the cells composing the matrix, the cells arrayed in the code area including cells composing the fixed four pattern (33a, 33b, 33c, 33d) at the four corners, the four edges (34: 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d) and the data recording area being composed of the cells, the cells arrayed in the data recording area representing data to be encoded, wherein the four edges (34: 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d) each have a width corresponding to the size of the one cell, the four edges (34: 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d) having a first edge and a second edge which are opposed to each other via the data recording area and parallel to each other, characterized in that the first and second edges (34a, 34b) being longer than remaining two edges (34c, 34d), the first edge is composed of the cells arrayed in a single row of the cells which is arrayed adjacently to the data recording area, the first edge including a specific pattern composed of an array of the light-colored and dark-colored cells which are continuously arranged, the specific pattern being repeated on the row in at least an intermediate portion of the single row of the cells, the intermediate portion being presented between both the two patterns located at the two corners along the first edge; and the second edge is composed of the cells arrayed in a further single row of the cells which is arrayed adjacently to the data recording area, the second edge including the specific pattern repeated on the further single row of the cells in at least a further intermediate portion of the further single row, the further intermediate portion being presented between both the two patterns located at the two corners along the second edge. two types of light-colored and dark-colored cells arrayed in a matrix and provided adjacently to each other to compose a rectangular code area on or in a carrier medium, all the cells having the same size and each representing a unit of information, the code area being positionally defined on or in the carrier medium by fixed four patterns (33a, 33b, 33c, 33d) located at four corners of the code area, the code area having a data recording area and four edges (34; 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d), each of the four edges (34; 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d) being located at an end of the code area and formed by a single row of the cells, the single row being part of the cells composing the matrix, the cells arrayed in the code area including cells composing the fixed four pattern (33a, 33b, 33c, 33d) at the four corners, the four edges (34: 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d) and the data recording area being composed of the cells, the cells arrayed in the data recording area representing data to be encoded, wherein the four edges (34: 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d) each have a width corresponding to the size of the one cell, the four edges (34: 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d) having a first edge and a second edge which are opposed to each other via the data recording area and parallel to each other, characterized in that the first and second edges (34a, 34b) being longer than remaining two edges (34c, 34d), the first edge is composed of the cells arrayed in a single row of the cells which is arrayed adjacently to the data recording area, the first edge including a specific pattern composed of an array of the light-colored and dark-colored cells which are continuously arranged, the specific pattern being repeated on the row in at least an intermediate portion of the single row of the cells, the intermediate portion being presented between both the two patterns located at the two corners along the first edge; and the second edge is composed of the cells arrayed in a further single row of the cells which is arrayed adjacently to the data recording area, the second edge including the specific pattern repeated on the further single row of the cells in at least a further intermediate portion of the further single row, the further intermediate portion being presented between both the two patterns located at the two corners along the second edge.