CeO2 nanocrystals were synthesized by a simple precipitation method and calcination at 600 ℃. (NH4)2Ce(NO3)6 and ammonia were used as precursors. The CeO2 nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and N2 adsorption. The photodegradation of methylene blue catalyzed by CeO2 nanoparticles was studied under UV and sunlight irradiation. The highest degradation was obtained with 1.0 g/L CeO2 at pH 11 within 125 min. The pseudo first order rate constants of dye bleaching were calculated as 16.2 ×10-3 and 15.7 ×10-3 min-1 under UV and sunlight irradiation, respectively. The effect of iso-PrOH, iodide ion, and H2O2 was studied to predict the pathway of dye degradation. The obtained results indicate the effect of photogen-erated holes in the degradation mechanism of the dye. Also, the photocatalytic activity of the prepared photocatalyst was studied in the presence of several negative ions.