Cerium oxide powder and cerium oxide dispersion

22 Cerium oxide powder having carbonate groups and made of crystalline primary particles containing cerium oxide and having carbonate groups on the surface and in a region close to the surface, and having a BET surface area of from 25 to 150 m/g, a mean diameter of from 5 to 50 nm, a carbonate concentration in the region close to the surface decreasing inwardly from the surface, a carbon content due to carbonate groups on the surface of from 5 to 50% by area, a carbon content due to carbonate groups at a depth of about 5 nm in a region close to the surface of from 0 to 30% by area, a content of cerium oxide calculated as CeOand based on the powder of at least 99.5% by weight and a content of organic and inorganic carbon of from 0.01 to 0.3% by weight. A dispersion containing this powder.