A power transmission belt having a body with a rubber layer defining spaced friction drive surfaces at laterally oppositely facing side surfaces. Short reinforcing fibers are embedded in the rubber layer in an amount of 15-50 parts by weight per 100 weight percent of rubber in the rubber layer. The short reinforcing fibers include polyamide short reinforcing fibers that make up at least 50 weight percent of the short reinforcing fibers embedded in the rubber layer. A plurality of the polyamide short reinforcing fibers project from the friction drive surfaces and have exposed, flattened ends. Flat particles of inorganic powder are adhered to the friction drive surfaces to reside captively between the flattened ends of the polyamide short reinforcing fibers and locations on the friction drive surfaces at which the short reinforcing fibers do not project.