0001100663 ist23:S000016772Member 2011-07-02 2012-07-01 0001100663 2011-07-02 2012-07-01 0001100663 ist23:S000004361Member 2011-07-02 2012-07-01 0001100663 ist23:S000016772Member ist23:C000046846Member 2011-07-02 2012-07-01 0001100663 ist23:S000022496Member 2011-07-02 2012-07-01 0001100663 ist23:S000022496Member ist23:C000065072Member 2011-07-02 2012-07-01 0001100663 ist23:S000016772Member rr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsMember ist23:C000046846Member 2011-07-02 2012-07-01 0001100663 ist23:S000016772Member rr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsAndSalesMember ist23:C000046846Member 2011-07-02 2012-07-01 0001100663 ist23:S000016772Member ist23:MarkitIboxxUsdLiquidHighYieldIndexMember 2011-07-02 2012-07-01 0001100663 ist23:S000004361Member ist23:C000012091Member 2011-07-02 2012-07-01 0001100663 ist23:S000004361Member rr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsMember ist23:C000012091Member 2011-07-02 2012-07-01 0001100663 ist23:S000004361Member rr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsAndSalesMember ist23:C000012091Member 2011-07-02 2012-07-01 0001100663 ist23:S000004361Member ist23:MarkitIboxxUsdLiquidInvestmentGradeIndexMember 2011-07-02 2012-07-01 0001100663 ist23:S000022496Member rr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsMember ist23:C000065072Member 2011-07-02 2012-07-01 0001100663 ist23:S000022496Member rr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsAndSalesMember ist23:C000065072Member 2011-07-02 2012-07-01 0001100663 ist23:S000022496Member ist23:MsciAllCountryAsiaExJapanIndexMember 2011-07-02 2012-07-01 pure iso4217:USD <div style="display:none">~ http://www.iShares.com/role/ScheduleAverageAnnualTotalReturnsTransposediSharesiBoxx$HighYieldCorporateBondFund column period compact * ~</div> Other 2012-02-29 false 2012-07-01 0001100663 2012-12-14 2012-12-14 <div style="display:none">~ http://www.iShares.com/role/ScheduleExpenseExampleTransposediSharesiBoxx$InvestmentGradeCorporateBondFund column period compact * ~</div> <div style="display:none">~ http://www.iShares.com/role/ScheduleAverageAnnualTotalReturnsTransposediSharesiBoxx$InvestmentGradeCorporateBondFund column period compact * ~</div> Investment Objective iSHARES® iBOXX $ HIGH YIELD CORPORATE BOND FUND Ticker: HYG   Stock Exchange: NYSE Arca The iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond Fund (the “Fund”) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Markit iBoxx® USD Liquid High Yield Index (the “Underlying Index”). Fees and Expenses Annual Fund Operating Expenses (ongoing expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investments) The following table describes the fees and expenses that you will incur if you own shares of the Fund. The investment advisory agreement between iShares Trust (the “Trust”) and BlackRock Fund Advisors (“BFA”) (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”) provides that BFA will pay all operating expenses of the Fund, except interest expenses, taxes, brokerage expenses, future distribution fees or expenses, and extraordinary expenses. You may also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying or selling shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the example that follows: 0.005 0 0 0.005 51 160 280 628 Example. This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of owning shares of the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be: Portfolio Turnover. The Fund may pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 13% of the average value of its portfolio. 0.13 Principal Investment Strategies iSHARES® MSCI ALL COUNTRY ASIA ex JAPAN INDEX FUND Ticker: AAXJ   Stock Exchange: NASDAQ Investment Objective The iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index Fund (the “Fund”) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index (the “Underlying Index”). The Underlying Index is a rules-based index consisting of liquid U.S. dollar-denominated, high yield corporate bonds for sale in the United States, as determined by the index provider. The Underlying Index is designed to provide a broad representation of the U.S. dollar-denominated liquid high yield corporate bond market. The Underlying Index is a modified market-value weighted index with a cap on each issuer of 3%. Bonds in the Underlying Index are selected using a rules-based criteria, as defined by the index provider. There is no limit to the number of issues in the Underlying Index, but as of April 30, 2012, the Underlying Index included approximately 639 constituents. Components primarily include consumer services, financial, industrials, oil and gas, and telecommunications entities, and may change over time. Currently, the bonds eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index include U.S. dollar-denominated high yield corporate bonds that: (i) are issued by companies domiciled in countries classified as developed markets by the index provider; (ii) are rated sub-investment grade by Fitch, Inc. (“Fitch”), Moody’s Investors Services (“Moody’s”) or Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services; (iii) are from issuers with at least $1 billion outstanding face value; (iv) have at least $400 million of outstanding face value; (v) have an original maturity date of less than 15 years; and (vi) have at least one year to maturity. BFA uses a “passive” or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund’s investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to “beat” the index it tracks and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued. Indexing may eliminate the chance that the Fund will substantially outperform the Underlying Index but also may reduce some of the risks of active management, such as poor security selection. Indexing seeks to achieve lower costs and better after-tax performance by keeping portfolio turnover low in comparison to actively managed investment companies. BFA uses a representative sampling indexing strategy to manage the Fund. “Representative sampling” is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Underlying Index. The securities selected are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market capitalization and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability, duration, maturity or credit ratings and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of the Underlying Index. The Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Underlying Index. The Fund generally invests at least 90% of its assets in the securities of the Underlying Index and in investments that provide substantially similar exposure to the securities in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may at times invest up to 20% of its assets in certain futures, options and swap contracts, cash and cash equivalents, including money market funds advised by BFA or its affiliates, as well as in bonds not included in the Underlying Index, but which BFA believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the value of the collateral received). The Underlying Index is sponsored by an organization (the “Index Provider”) that is independent of the Fund and BFA. The Index Provider determines the composition and relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index. The Fund’s Index Provider is Markit Indices Limited (“Markit”). Industry Concentration Policy. The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries, which may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities), repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities, and securities of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions are not considered to be issued by members of any industry. Industry Concentration Policy. The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries, which may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities), repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities, and securities of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions are not considered to be issued by members of any industry. Summary of Principal Risks The following table describes the fees and expenses that you will incur if you own shares of the Fund. The investment advisory agreement between iShares Trust (the “Trust”) and BlackRock Fund Advisors (“BFA”) (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”) provides that BFA will pay all operating expenses of the Fund, except interest expenses, taxes, brokerage expenses, future distribution fees or expenses, and extraordinary expenses. “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses” reflect the Fund's pro rata share of the fees and expenses incurred by investing in other investment companies. The impact of Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses is included in the total returns of the Fund. Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are not used to calculate the Fund's net asset value per share (“NAV”) and are not included in the calculation of the ratio of expenses to average net assets shown in the Financial Highlights section of the Fund's prospectus (the “Prospectus”). BFA, the investment adviser to the Fund, has contractually agreed to waive its management fees in an amount equal to the Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses attributable to the Fund's investments in other iShares funds through June 30, 2014. The contractual waiver may be terminated prior to June 30, 2014 only upon written agreement of the Trust and BFA. During the most recently completed fiscal year, the amount of such expenses incurred and fees waived rounded to 0.00%. You may also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying or selling shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the example that follows: Annual Fund Operating Expenses (ongoing expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investments) 0.0069 0 0 0 0.0069 As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value per share (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective. Asset Class Risk. Securities in the Underlying Index or in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets or other asset classes. Call Risk. During periods of falling interest rates, an issuer of a callable bond held by the Fund may “call” or repay the security before its stated maturity, and the Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds at lower interest rates, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income. Concentration Risk. To the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in a particular region, country, market, industry or asset class, the Fund may be susceptible to loss due to adverse occurrences affecting that region, country, market, industry or asset class. Consumer Services Sector Risk. The consumer services sector may be affected by changes in the domestic and international economy, exchange rates, competition, consumers’ disposable income and consumer preferences. Credit Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk that debt issuers and other counterparties may not honor their obligations or may have their debt downgraded by ratings agencies. Extension Risk. During periods of rising interest rates, certain obligations will be paid off substantially more slowly than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply, resulting in a decline to the Fund’s income and potentially in the value of the Fund’s investments. Financial Sector Risk. Performance of companies in the financial sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulations, economic conditions, credit rating downgrades, changes in interest rates, and decreased liquidity in credit markets. This sector has experienced significant losses in the recent past, and the impact of more stringent capital requirements and of recent or future regulation on any individual financial company or on the sector as a whole cannot be predicted. High Yield Securities Risk. Securities that are rated below investment grade (commonly referred to as “junk bonds,” including those bonds rated lower than “BBB-” by S&P and Fitch, or “Baa3” by Moody’s), or are unrated, may be deemed speculative and more volatile than higher-rated securities of similar maturity. Income Risk. The Fund’s income may decline when interest rates fall. This decline can occur because the Fund must invest in lower-yielding bonds as bonds in its portfolio mature, bonds in the Underlying Index are substituted or the Fund otherwise needs to purchase additional bonds. Industrials Sector Risk. The industrials sector may be affected by changes in the supply and demand for products and services, product obsolescence, claims for environmental damage or product liability and general economic conditions, among other factors. Interest Rate Risk. An increase in interest rates may cause the value of fixed-income securities held by the Fund to decline. Issuer Risk. Fund performance depends on the performance of individual securities to which the Fund has exposure. Changes to the financial condition or credit rating of an issuer of those securities may cause the value of the securities to decline. Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments are difficult to purchase or sell. This can reduce the Fund’s returns because the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices. Management Risk. As the Fund may not fully replicate the Underlying Index, it is subject to the risk that BFA’s investment management strategy may not produce the intended results. Market Risk. The Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns. Market Trading Risk. The Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares, losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility and disruption in the creation/redemption process of the Fund. ANY OF THESE FACTORS, AMONG OTHERS, MAY LEAD TO THE FUND’S SHARES TRADING AT A PREMIUM OR DISCOUNT TO NAV. Non-U.S. Issuers Risk. Securities issued by non-U.S. issuers carry different risks from securities issued by U.S. issuers. These include differences in accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, the possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, adverse changes in investment or exchange control regulations, political instability, regulatory and economic differences, and potential restrictions on the flow of international capital. The Fund is specifically exposed to North American Economic Risk. Oil and Gas Sector Risk. Companies in the oil and gas sector are affected by worldwide energy prices and exploration and production costs. Companies in the oil and gas sector may have significant operations in areas at risk for natural disasters, social unrest and environmental damage. These companies may also be at risk for increased government regulation and intervention, litigation, and negative publicity and perception. Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and BFA does not attempt to take defensive positions under any market conditions, including declining markets. Privately-Issued Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in privately-issued securities, including those that are normally purchased pursuant to Rule 144A or Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Privately-issued securities are securities that have not been registered under the 1933 Act and as a result are subject to legal restrictions on resale. Privately-issued securities are not traded on established markets and may be illiquid, difficult to value and subject to wide fluctuations in value. Delay or difficulty in selling such securities may result in a loss to the Fund. Securities Lending Risk. The Fund may engage in securities lending. Securities lending involves the risk that the Fund may lose money because the borrower of the Fund’s loaned securities fails to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. The Fund could also lose money in the event of a decline in the value of the collateral provided for loaned securities or a decline in the value of any investments made with cash collateral. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. Telecommunications Sector Risk. Companies in the telecommunications sector may be affected by industry competition, substantial capital requirements, government regulation and obsolescence of telecommunications products and services due to technological advancement. Tracking Error Risk. Tracking error is the divergence of the Fund’s performance from that of the Underlying Index. Tracking error may occur because of imperfect correlation between the Fund’s holdings of portfolio securities and those in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, the Fund’s holding of cash, differences on timing of the accrual of dividends, changes to the Underlying Index or the need to meet various regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not. BFA expects that the Fund may experience higher tracking error than is typical for similar index ETFs. 0 0.0069 As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. Example. This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of owning shares of the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be: Performance Information The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund has performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. Both assume that all dividends and distributions have been reinvested in the Fund. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Supplemental information about the Fund’s performance is shown under the heading Total Return Information in the Supplemental Information section of the Fund’s prospectus (the “Prospectus”). 70 221 384 859 Portfolio Turnover. The Fund may pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 26% of the average value of its portfolio. 0.26 Principal Investment Strategies The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund has performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. iSHARES® iBOXX $ INVESTMENT GRADE CORPORATE BOND FUND Ticker: LQD   Stock Exchange: NYSE Arca Investment Objective The iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond Fund (the “Fund”) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Markit iBoxx® USD Liquid Investment Grade Index (the “Underlying Index”). Fees and Expenses The following table describes the fees and expenses that you will incur if you own shares of the Fund. The investment advisory agreement between iShares Trust (the “Trust”) and BlackRock Fund Advisors (“BFA”) (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”) provides that BFA will pay all operating expenses of the Fund, except interest expenses, taxes, brokerage expenses, future distribution fees or expenses, and extraordinary expenses. You may also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying or selling shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the example that follows: Annual Fund Operating Expenses (ongoing expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investments) Example. This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of owning shares of the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be: Portfolio Turnover. The Fund may pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 4% of the average value of its portfolio. Principal Investment Strategies The Underlying Index is a rules-based index consisting of liquid, U.S. dollar-denominated, investment grade corporate bonds for sale in the United States, as determined by the index provider. The Underlying Index is designed to provide a broad representation of the U.S. dollar-denominated liquid investment grade corporate bond market. The Underlying Index is a modified market-value weighted index with a cap on each issuer of 3%. There is no limit to the number of issues in the Underlying Index, but as of April 30, 2012 the Underlying Index included approximately 947 constituents. Components primarily include consumer services, financials, and oil and gas entities, and may change over time. The Underlying Index is a subset of the Markit iBoxx USD Corporate Bond Index, an index of over 2,744 investment grade bonds. Bonds in the Underlying Index are selected from the universe of eligible bonds in the Markit iBoxx USD Corporate Bond Index using defined rules. Currently, the bonds eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index include U.S. dollar-denominated corporate bonds that: (i) are issued by companies domiciled in countries classified as developed markets by the Index Provider; (ii) are rated investment grade by Fitch, Inc. (“Fitch”), Moody’s® Investors Services (“Moody’s”) or Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services; (iii) are from issuers with at least $2 billion outstanding face value; (iv) have at least $750 million of outstanding face value; and (v) have at least three years to maturity. BFA uses a “passive” or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund’s investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to “beat” the index it tracks and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued. Indexing may eliminate the chance that the Fund will substantially outperform the Underlying Index but also may reduce some of the risks of active management, such as poor security selection. Indexing seeks to achieve lower costs and better after-tax performance by keeping portfolio turnover low in comparison to actively managed investment companies. BFA uses a representative sampling indexing strategy to manage the Fund. “Representative sampling” is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Underlying Index. The securities selected are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market capitalization and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability, duration, maturity or credit ratings and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of the Underlying Index. The Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Underlying Index. The Fund generally invests at least 90% of its assets in securities of the Underlying Index and at least 95% of its assets in investment grade corporate bonds. The Fund also may invest in bonds not included in the Underlying Index, but which BFA believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. The Fund may invest up to 5% of its assets in repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government obligations and in cash and cash equivalents, including shares of money market funds advised by BFA or its affiliates. The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the value of the collateral received). The Underlying Index is sponsored by an organization (the “Index Provider”) that is independent of the Fund and BFA. The Index Provider determines the composition and relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index. The Fund’s Index Provider is Markit Indices Limited (“Markit”). Industry Concentration Policy. The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries, which may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities), repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities, and securities of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions are not considered to be issued by members of any industry. Summary of Principal Risks As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value per share (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective. Asset Class Risk. Securities in the Underlying Index or in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets or other asset classes. Call Risk. During periods of falling interest rates, an issuer of a callable bond held by the Fund may “call” or repay the security before its stated maturity, and the Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds at lower interest rates, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income. Concentration Risk. To the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in a particular region, country, market, industry or asset class, the Fund may be susceptible to loss due to adverse occurrences affecting that region, country, market, industry or asset class. Consumer Services Sector Risk. The consumer services sector may be affected by changes in the domestic and international economy, exchange rates, competition, consumers’ disposable income and consumer preferences. Credit Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk that debt issuers and other counterparties may not honor their obligations or may have their debt downgraded by ratings agencies. Extension Risk. During periods of rising interest rates, certain obligations will be paid off substantially more slowly than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply, resulting in a decline to the Fund’s income and potentially in the value of the Fund’s investments. Financial Sector Risk. Performance of companies in the financial sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulations, economic conditions, credit rating downgrades, changes in interest rates, and decreased liquidity in credit markets. This sector has experienced significant losses in the recent past, and the impact of more stringent capital requirements and of recent or future regulation on any individual financial company or on the sector as a whole cannot be predicted. Income Risk. The Fund’s income may decline when interest rates fall. This decline can occur because the Fund must invest in lower-yielding bonds as bonds in its portfolio mature, bonds in the Underlying Index are substituted or the Fund otherwise needs to purchase additional bonds. Interest Rate Risk. An increase in interest rates may cause the value of fixed-income securities held by the Fund to decline. Issuer Risk. Fund performance depends on the performance of individual securities to which the Fund has exposure. Changes to the financial condition or credit rating of an issuer of those securities may cause the value of the securities to decline. Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments are difficult to purchase or sell. This can reduce the Fund’s returns because the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices. Management Risk. As the Fund may not fully replicate the Underlying Index, it is subject to the risk that BFA’s investment management strategy may not produce the intended results. Market Risk. The Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns. Market Trading Risk. The Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares, losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility and disruption in the creation/redemption process of the Fund. ANY OF THESE FACTORS, AMONG OTHERS, MAY LEAD TO THE FUND’S SHARES TRADING AT A PREMIUM OR DISCOUNT TO NAV. Non-U.S. Issuers Risk. Securities issued by non-U.S. issuers carry different risks from securities issued by U.S. issuers. These include differences in accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, the possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, adverse changes in investment or exchange control regulations, political instability, regulatory and economic differences, and potential restrictions on the flow of international capital. The Fund is specifically exposed to North American Economic Risk. Oil and Gas Sector Risk. Companies in the oil and gas sector are affected by worldwide energy prices and exploration and production costs. Companies in the oil and gas sector may have significant operations in areas at risk for natural disasters, social unrest and environmental damage. These companies may also be at risk for increased government regulation and intervention, litigation, and negative publicity and perception. Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and BFA does not attempt to take defensive positions under any market conditions, including declining markets. Securities Lending Risk. The Fund may engage in securities lending. Securities lending involves the risk that the Fund may lose money because the borrower of the Fund’s loaned securities fails to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. The Fund could also lose money in the event of a decline in the value of the collateral provided for loaned securities or a decline in the value of any investments made with cash collateral. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. Tracking Error Risk. The performance of the Fund may diverge from that of the Underlying Index. Because the Fund employs a representative sampling strategy, the Fund may experience tracking error to a greater extent than a fund that seeks to replicate an index. Performance Information The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund has performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. Both assume that all dividends and distributions have been reinvested in the Fund. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Supplemental information about the Fund’s performance is shown under the heading Total Return Information in the Supplemental Information section of the Fund’s prospectus (the “Prospectus”). Year by Year Returns (Years Ended December 31) The best calendar quarter return during the periods shown above was 9.02% in the 4th quarter of 2008; the worst was -7.79% in the 3rd quarter of 2008. Updated performance information is available at www.iShares.com or by calling 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) (toll free). Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended December 31, 2011) Year by Year Returns (Years Ended December 31) As of June 30, 2012, the Underlying Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index designed to measure equity market performance of the following 10 developed and emerging market countries or regions: China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. Components primarily include consumer discretionary, financial, industrials and information technology companies. The components of the Underlying Index, and the degree to which these components represent certain industries, may change over time. BFA uses a “passive” or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund’s investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to “beat” the index it tracks and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued. Indexing may eliminate the chance that the Fund will substantially outperform the Underlying Index but also may reduce some of the risks of active management, such as poor security selection. Indexing seeks to achieve lower costs and better after-tax performance by keeping portfolio turnover low in comparison to actively managed investment companies. BFA uses a representative sampling indexing strategy to manage the Fund. “Representative sampling” is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Underlying Index. The securities selected are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market capitalization and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of the Underlying Index. The Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Underlying Index. The Fund generally invests at least 90% of its assets in securities of the Underlying Index and in depositary receipts representing securities of the Underlying Index. The Fund may invest the remainder of its assets in certain futures, options and swap contracts, cash and cash equivalents, including money market funds advised by BFA or its affiliates, as well as in securities not included in the Underlying Index, but which BFA believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. The Fund invests all of its assets that are invested in India in a wholly-owned subsidiary located in the Republic of Mauritius (the “Subsidiary”). BFA serves as investment adviser to both the Fund and the Subsidiary. Unless otherwise indicated, the term “Fund,” as used in this Prospectus, means the Fund and/or the Subsidiary, as applicable. The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund's total assets (including the value of the collateral received). The Underlying Index is sponsored by an organization (the “Index Provider”) that is independent of the Fund and BFA. The Index Provider determines the composition and relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index. The Fund’s Index Provider is MSCI Inc. (“MSCI”). Industry Concentration Policy. The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries, which may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities) and repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities are not considered to be issued by members of any industry. -0.2389 0.4068 0.1207 0.0589 You may also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying or selling shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the example that follows: The best calendar quarter return during the periods shown above was 17.05% in the 2nd quarter of 2009; the worst was -15.51% in the 4th quarter of 2008. Updated performance information is available at www.iShares.com or by calling 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) (toll free). The Fund's total return for the three months ended 2012-03-31 0.0449 best 2009-06-30 0.1705 worst 2008-12-31 -0.1551 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) (toll free) www.iShares.com You may also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying or selling shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the example that follows: 0.04 Industry Concentration Policy. The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries, which may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities), repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities, and securities of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions are not considered to be issued by members of any industry. As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund has performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) (toll free) www.iShares.com Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. After-tax returns in the table above are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes. Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended December 31, 2011) Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors who hold shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”). Fund returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares are calculated assuming that an investor has sufficient capital gains of the same character from other investments to offset any capital losses from the sale of Fund shares. As a result, Fund returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares may exceed Fund returns before taxes and/or returns after taxes on distributions. 0.0589 0.0313 0.0379 0.0594 0.0536 0.0221 0.0263 0.0588 Summary of Principal Risks As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund's performance could trail that of other investments. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund's NAV, trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective. Asset Class Risk. Securities in the Underlying Index or in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets or other asset classes. Concentration Risk. To the extent that the Fund's investments are concentrated in a particular issuer, region, country, market, industry or asset class, the Fund may be susceptible to loss due to adverse occurrences affecting that issuer, region, country, market, industry or asset class. Consumer Discretionary Sector Risk. The consumer discretionary sector may be affected by changes in domestic and international economies, exchange and interest rates, competition, consumers' disposable income and consumer preferences, social trends and marketing campaigns. Currency Risk. Because the Fund's NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the Fund's NAV could decline if the currency of a non-U.S. market in which the Fund invests depreciates against the U.S. dollar. Custody Risk. Less developed markets are more likely to experience problems with the clearing and settling of trades and the holding of securities by local banks, agents and depositories. Equity Securities Risk. Equity securities are subject to changes in value and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes. Financial Sector Risk. Performance of companies in the financial sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulations, economic conditions, credit rating downgrades, changes in interest rates, and decreased liquidity in credit markets. This sector has experienced significant losses in the recent past, and the impact of more stringent capital requirements and of recent or future regulation on any individual financial company or on the sector as a whole cannot be predicted. Geographic Risk. A natural or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund's investments in the affected region. Index-Related Risk. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions are likely to have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Industrials Sector Risk. The industrials sector may be affected by changes in the supply and demand for products and services, product obsolescence, claims for environmental damage or product liability and general economic conditions, among other factors. Information Technology Sector Risk. Information technology companies face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. They are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. Issuer Risk. Fund performance depends on the performance of individual securities to which the Fund has exposure. Changes in the financial condition or credit rating of an issuer of those securities may cause the value of the securities to decline. Lack of Natural Resources Risk. Certain economies to which the Fund may be exposed have few natural resources. Any fluctuation or shortage in the commodity markets could have a negative impact on those economies. Management Risk. As the Fund may not fully replicate the Underlying Index, it is subject to the risk that BFA's investment management strategy may not produce the intended results. Market Risk. The Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns. Market Trading Risk. The Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares, losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility and disruption in the creation/redemption process of the Fund. ANY OF THESE FACTORS, AMONG OTHERS, MAY LEAD TO THE FUND'S SHARES TRADING AT A PREMIUM OR DISCOUNT TO NAV. Non-U.S. Securities Risk. Investments in the securities of non-U.S. issuers are subject to the risks associated with investing in those non-U.S. markets, such as heightened risks of inflation or nationalization. The Fund may lose money due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a non-U.S. issuer or market. The Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Security Risk and Asian Structural Risk. Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and BFA does not attempt to take defensive positions under any market conditions, including declining markets. Privatization Risk. Some countries in which the Fund invests have privatized, or have begun the process of privatizing, certain entities and industries. Privatized entities may lose money or be re-nationalized. Reliance on Trading Partners Risk. The Fund invests in countries whose economies are heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may have an adverse impact on the Fund's investments. The Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk and U.S. Economic Risk. Risk of Investing in China. The Fund's investment exposure to China subjects the Fund to risks specific to China. China may be subject to considerable degrees of economic, political and social instability. China is a developing market and demonstrates significantly higher volatility from time to time in comparison to developed markets. Over the past 25 years, the Chinese government has undertaken reform of economic and market practices and expansion of the sphere for private ownership of property in China. However, Chinese markets generally continue to experience inefficiency, volatility and pricing anomalies resulting from governmental influence, a lack of publicly available information and/or political and social instability. Internal social unrest or confrontations with other neighboring countries, including military conflicts in response to such events, may also disrupt economic development in China and result in a greater risk of currency fluctuations, currency convertibility, interest rate fluctuations and higher rates of inflation. Export growth continues to be a major driver of China's rapid economic growth. Reduction in spending on Chinese products and services, institution of tariffs or other trade barriers, or a downturn in any of the economies of China's key trading partners may have an adverse impact on the Chinese economy. Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets. The Fund's investments in emerging markets may be subject to a greater risk of loss than investments in more developed markets. Emerging markets may be more likely to experience inflation risk, political turmoil and rapid changes in economic conditions than more developed markets. Emerging markets often have less uniformity in accounting and reporting requirements, unreliable securities valuation and greater risk associated with custody of securities. Risk of Investing in India. Investment in Indian issuers involves risks that are specific to India, including legal, regulatory, political and economic risks. The securities markets in India are relatively underdeveloped and may subject the Fund to higher transaction costs or greater uncertainty than investments in more developed securities markets. Such risks may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments. Risk of Investing in South Korea. The Fund’s investments in South Korean issuers may subject the Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risks that are specific to South Korea. In addition, economic and political developments of South Korean neighbors may have an adverse effect on the South Korean economy. As a result, such risks may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments. Securities Lending Risk. The Fund may engage in securities lending. Securities lending involves the risk that the Fund may lose money because the borrower of the Fund's loaned securities fails to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. The Fund could also lose money in the event of a decline in the value of the collateral provided for loaned securities or a decline in the value of any investments made with cash collateral. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. Tracking Error Risk. Tracking error is the divergence of the Fund’s performance from that of the Underlying Index. Tracking error may occur because of differences between the securities held in the Fund’s portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs, the Fund’s holding of cash, differences in timing of the accrual of dividends, changes to the Underlying Index or the need to meet various regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not. BFA EXPECTS THAT THE FUND MAY EXPERIENCE HIGHER TRACKING ERROR THAN IS TYPICAL FOR SIMILAR INDEX EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS. Treaty/Tax Risk. The Fund and the Subsidiary rely on the Double Tax Avoidance Agreement between India and Mauritius (“DTAA”) for relief from certain Indian taxes. Treaty renegotiation (particularly to introduce a limitation of benefit clause) or recent legislative changes may result in the Fund withdrawing from the Subsidiary, which may result in higher taxes and/or lower returns for the Fund. Valuation Risk. The sale price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund's valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low volume or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. In addition, the value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's shares. 0.0743 0.0593 0.01 0.0395 0.0372 -0.0034 0.1211 0.0913 Performance Information 0.0889 The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund has performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. Both assume that all dividends and distributions have been reinvested in the Fund. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Supplemental information about the Fund’s performance is shown under the heading Total Return Information in the Supplemental Information section of the Prospectus. If BFA had not waived certain Fund fees during certain periods, the Fund's returns would have been lower. Year by Year Returns (Years Ended December 31) 0.7091 0.1552 -0.2001 After-tax returns in the table above are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors who hold shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”). Fund returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares are calculated assuming that an investor has sufficient capital gains of the same character from other investments to offset any capital losses from the sale of Fund shares. As a result, Fund returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares may exceed Fund returns before taxes and/or returns after taxes on distributions. The Fund’s total return for the three months ended 2012-03-31 0.03 2007-04-04 best 2008-12-31 0.0902 worst 2008-09-30 -0.0779 0.0015 0 0 0.0015 The best calendar quarter return during the periods shown above was 33.18% in the 2nd quarter of 2009; the worst was -21.10% in the 3rd quarter of 2011. Updated performance information is available at www.iShares.com or by calling 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) (toll free). 15 48 Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended December 31, 2011) 85 192 0.0889 0.0719 0.0574 0.0915 0.0662 0.0469 0.0449 0.0717 0.062 0.0433 0.042 0.0649 2002-07-22 -0.2001 -0.2012 -0.1254 -0.1731 0.016 0.0142 0.0143 0.022 <div style="display:none">~ http://www.iShares.com/role/ScheduleAnnualFundOperatingExpensesTransposediSharesiBoxxInvestmentGradeCorporateBondFund column period compact * ~</div> 2008-08-13 <div style="display:none">~ http://www.iShares.com/role/ScheduleAnnualTotalReturnsiSharesiBoxx$InvestmentGradeCorporateBondFundBarChart column period compact * ~</div> You may also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying or selling shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the example that follows: Industry Concentration Policy. The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries, which may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities) and repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities are not considered to be issued by members of any industry. As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund's performance could trail that of other investments. The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund has performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) (toll free) www.iShares.com Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. After-tax returns in the table above are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors who hold shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”). Fund returns after taxes on distributions and sales of Fund shares are calculated assuming that an investor has sufficient capital gains of the same character from other investments to offset any capital losses from the sale of Fund shares. As a result, Fund returns after taxes on distributions and sales of Fund shares may exceed Fund returns before taxes and/or returns after taxes on distributions. <div style="display:none">~ http://www.iShares.com/role/ScheduleAnnualFundOperatingExpensesTransposediSharesiBoxxHighYieldCorporateBondFund column period compact * ~</div> The Fund’s total return for the nine months ended 0.1492 <div style="display:none">~ http://www.iShares.com/role/ScheduleExpenseExampleTransposediSharesiBoxx$HighYieldCorporateBondFund column period compact * ~</div> best 2009-06-30 0.3318 worst 2011-09-30 -0.211 <div style="display:none">~ http://www.iShares.com/role/ScheduleAnnualTotalReturnsiSharesiBoxx$HighYieldCorporateBondFundBarChart column period compact * ~</div> June 30, 2014 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are not used to calculate the Fund's net asset value per share(“NAV”) and are not included in the calculation of the ratio of expenses to average net assets shown in the Financial Highlights section of the Fund's prospectus (the “Prospectus”). <div style="display:none">~ http://www.iShares.com/role/ScheduleAnnualFundOperatingExpensesTransposediSharesMSCIAllCountryAsiaexJapanIndexFund column period compact * ~</div> iSHARES TRUST <div style="display:none">~ http://www.iShares.com/role/ScheduleExpenseExampleTransposediSharesMSCIAllCountryAsiaexJapanIndexFund column period compact * ~</div> <div style="display:none">~ http://www.iShares.com/role/ScheduleAnnualTotalReturnsiSharesMSCIAllCountryAsiaexJapanIndexFundBarChart column period compact * ~</div> <div style="display:none">~ http://www.iShares.com/role/ScheduleAverageAnnualTotalReturnsTransposediSharesMSCIAllCountryAsiaexJapanIndexFund column period compact * ~</div> 2012-09-30 Fees and Expenses The Fund's total return for the three months ended March 31, 2012 was 4.49%. After-tax returns in the table above are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors who hold shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts ("IRAs"). Fund returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares are calculated assuming that an investor has sufficient capital gains of the same character from other investments to offset any capital losses from the sale of Fund shares. As a result, Fund returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares may exceed Fund returns before taxes and/or returns after taxes on distributions. The Fund's total return for the three months ended March 31, 2012 was 3.00%. The Fund's total return for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 was 14.92%. After-tax returns in the table above are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors who hold shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts ("IRAs"). Fund returns after taxes on distributions and sales of Fund shares are calculated assuming that an investor has sufficient capital gains of the same character from other investments to offset any capital losses from the sale of Fund shares. As a result, Fund returns after taxes on distributions and sales of Fund shares may exceed Fund returns before taxes and/or returns after taxes on distributions.