The magnetic tape has a magnetic layer and a backcoat layer, wherein the Ra on the magnetic layer side surface is less than or equal to 1.8 nm, the coefficient of friction measured on the base portion of the magnetic layer side surface is less than or equal to 0.35, the Ra measured on the backcoat layer side surface is less than or equal to 5.0 nm, the backcoat layer contains a fatty acid ester, the FWHM.sub.before measured on the backcoat layer side surface before vacuum heating is greater than 0 nm but less than or equal to 10.0 nm, the FWHM.sub.after after vacuum heating is greater than 0 nm but less than or equal to 10.0 nm, and the difference between the spacing measured on the backcoat layer side surface after and before vacuum heating is greater than 0 nm but less than or equal to 8.0 nm.

The magnetic tape has a magnetic layer and a backcoat layer, wherein, each of the magnetic layer and backcoat layer contains a fatty acid ester, the Ra measured on the magnetic layer side surface is less than or equal to 2.8 nm, the difference between the spacing measured by optical interferometry on the magnetic layer side surface after and before vacuum heating is greater than 0 nm but less than or equal to 8.0 nm, the FWHM.sub.before on the backcoat layer side surface is greater than 0 nm but less than or equal to 10.0 nm, the FWHM.sub.after on the backcoat layer side surface is greater than 0 nm but less than or equal to 10.0 nm; and the difference between the spacing measured on the backcoat layer side surface after and before vacuum heating is greater than 0 nm but less than or equal to 8.0 nm.

The magnetic tape has a nonmagnetic layer containing nonmagnetic powder and binder on a nonmagnetic support, and a magnetic layer containing ferromagnetic powder and binder on the nonmagnetic layer; wherein the combined thickness of the nonmagnetic layer and the magnetic layer is less than or equal to 0.60 m, the coefficient of friction as measured on the base portion of the surface of the magnetic layer is less than or equal to 0.35, at least the magnetic layer contains one or more components selected from the group consisting of a fatty acid and a fatty acid amide, and a CH derived carbon, C, concentration calculated from a CH peak area ratio in a C1s spectrum obtained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy conducted at a photoelectron take-off angle of 10 degrees on the surface of the magnetic layer is greater than or equal to 45 atom %.

The magnetic tape has a magnetic layer and a backcoat layer. The Ra on the magnetic layer side surface is less than or equal to 1.8 nm, the coefficient of friction measured on the base portion of the magnetic layer side surface is less than or equal to 0.35, and the Ra measured on the backcoat layer side surface is less than or equal to 5.0 nm. The backcoat layer contains a fatty acid ester. In addition, the FWHM.sub.before measured on the backcoat layer side surface before vacuum heating is greater than 0 nm but less than or equal to 10.0 nm, the FWHM.sub.after after vacuum heating is greater than 0 nm but less than or equal to 10.0 nm, and the difference between the spacing measured on the backcoat layer side surface after and before vacuum heating is greater than 0 nm but less than or equal to 8.0 nm.

A magnetic tape has a magnetic layer and a backcoat layer. Each of the magnetic layer and the backcoat layer contains a fatty acid ester. The Ra measured on the magnetic layer side surface is less than or equal to 2.8 nm. The difference between the spacing measured by optical interferometry on the magnetic layer side surface after and before vacuum heating is greater than 0 nm but less than or equal to 8.0 nm. The FWHM.sub.before on the backcoat layer side surface is greater than 0 nm but less than or equal to 10.0 nm. The FWHM.sub.after on the backcoat layer side surface is greater than 0 nm but less than or equal to 10.0 nm. The difference between the spacing measured on the backcoat layer side surface after and before vacuum heating is greater than 0 nm but less than or equal to 8.0 nm.

The magnetic tape has a nonmagnetic layer containing nonmagnetic powder and binder on a nonmagnetic support, and a magnetic layer containing ferromagnetic powder and binder on the nonmagnetic layer; wherein the combined thickness of the nonmagnetic layer and the magnetic layer is less than or equal to 0.60 m, the coefficient of friction as measured on the base portion of the surface of the magnetic layer is less than or equal to 0.35, at least the magnetic layer contains one or more components selected from the group consisting of a fatty acid and a fatty acid amide, and a CH derived carbon, C, concentration calculated from a CH peak area ratio in a C1s spectrum obtained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy conducted at a photoelectron take-off angle of 10 degrees on the surface of the magnetic layer is greater than or equal to 45 atom %.