To provide a microorganism capable of producing a large amount of carotenoids, mainly astaxanthin, and to provide a method of producing carotenoids using the microorganism, a microorganism having improved carotenoid productivity is used, which is obtainable by breeding a carotenoid producing Paracoccus bacteria which is featured by producing 720 mg or more carotenoid per 1 L of culture medium. Also used is a method of producing carotenoids using the bacterium.