A carbon fiber strand obtained by bundling 20,000-30,000 carbon fibers each having, in the surface thereof, creases which are parallel to the fiber-axis direction. In an examination with a scanning probe microscope, the creases in the carbon fiber surface are apart from each other at a distance of 120-160 nm and have a depth of 12-23 nm, excluding 23 nm. The carbon fibers have an average fiber diameter of 4.5-6.5 nm, specific surface area of 0.9-2.3 m2/g, and density of 1.76 g/cm3 or higher. The carbon strand has a tensile strength of 5,900 MPa or higher and a tensile modulus of 300 GPa or higher. When would on a bobbin at a tension of 9.8 N, the strand on the bobbin has a width of 5.5 mm or larger. When the carbon fiber strand is examined by a strand splitting evaluation method in which the strand is caused to run through three stainless-steel rods while applying a tension of 9.8 N thereto, no strand splitting is observed.