High-surface-area　wormhole-like　mesoporous　SnO2　with　a　tetragonal　rutile-type　structure　was　fabricated　adopting　the　hydrothermal　strategy　using　poly(ethylene　glycol)　(PEG)　as　the　template,　tin　chloride　as　the　tin　source,　and　urea　as　the　precipitating　agent.　The　effects　of　PEG　with　different　molecular　weights　and　its　concentration,　hydrothermal　temperature,　and　calcination　temperature　on　the　pore　structure　and　morphology　of　SnO2　were　examined.　The　physical　properties　of　these　materials　were　characterized　by　X-ray　diffraction,　nitrogen　adsorption-desorption,　transmission　electron　microscopy,　selected-area　electron　diffraction,　infrared　spectroscopy,　and　ultraviolet-visible　diffuse　reflection　spectroscopy.　It　is　shown　that　the　PEG　template　could　be　removed　by　washing,　no　significant　impact　of　PEG　molecular　weight　was　observed　on　the　surface　area　of　the　mesoporous　SnO2　samples,　but　the　factors　such　as　PEG　concentration,　hydrothermal　temperature,　and　calcination　temperature　exerted　considerable　influence　on　the　pore　structure　of　the　SnO2　samples.　After　the　hydrothermal　treatment　at　120　°C　for　29　h　with　the　molar　ratio　of　PEG　(with　a　molecular　weight　of　6000　g/mol)　to　Sn　of　0.01,　a　wormhole-like　mesoporous　SnO2　sample　with　a　high　surface　area　of　161　m2/g　and　an　average　pore　size　of　2.6　nm　was　generated.　The　SnO2　samples　exhibited　good　behavior　in　UV-light　absorption.　These　porous　materials　are　suitable　for　use　as　catalysts,　supports,　and　gas　sensors.　©　2010　Dalian　Institute　of　Chemical　Physics,　the　Chinese　Academy　of　Sciences.