Atomic-scale structures of CeO 2 (111) were examined by noncontact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM). Hexagonally arranged surface oxygen atoms at an ideally oxygen-terminated surface, oxygen point vacancies, and multiple oxygen vacancies such as triangular defects and line defects formed depending on different oxidation states of CeO 2 - x were visualized by NC-AFM. These observations give a new insight to understand the special oxygen storage capacity with facile oxidation-reduction cycles for CeO 2 - x relevant to automotive exhaust catalysis.