A magnetic storage medium is disclosed which is formed from a layer of substantially uniformly spaced-apart magnetic nanoparticles of substantially uniform diameter disposed upon a surface of a substrate, with a coating, preferably of abrasion-resistant material, applied to adhere the nanoparticles to the substrate and to maintain their substantially uniform spaced-apart relationship. The nanoparticles are formed from a magnetic material selected from the group consisting of elements Co, Fe, Ni, Mn, Sm, Nd, Pr, Pt, Gd, an intermetallic compound of the aforesaid elements, a binary alloy of said elements, a ternary alloy of said elements, an oxide of Fe further comprising at least one of said elements other than Fe, barium ferrite, and strontium ferrite.