Segment Reporting (Details 3) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014 Real Estate Investments	Sep. 30, 2013 Real Estate Investments	Sep. 30, 2014 Real Estate Investments	Sep. 30, 2013 Real Estate Investments	Dec. 31, 2013 Real Estate Investments	Feb. 28, 2014 Domestic	Sep. 30, 2014 Domestic Real Estate Investments	Sep. 30, 2013 Domestic Real Estate Investments	Sep. 30, 2014 Domestic Real Estate Investments	Sep. 30, 2013 Domestic Real Estate Investments	Dec. 31, 2013 Domestic Real Estate Investments	Sep. 30, 2014 Germany Real Estate Investments	Sep. 30, 2013 Germany Real Estate Investments	Sep. 30, 2014 Germany Real Estate Investments	Sep. 30, 2013 Germany Real Estate Investments	Dec. 31, 2013 Germany Real Estate Investments	Sep. 30, 2014 Other International Real Estate Investments	Sep. 30, 2013 Other International Real Estate Investments	Sep. 30, 2014 Other International Real Estate Investments	Sep. 30, 2013 Other International Real Estate Investments	Dec. 31, 2013 Other International Real Estate Investments
Segment Reporting Information Profit Loss
Revenues	$ 195,945	$ 132,592	$ 657,861	$ 350,843		$ 164,212	$ 79,810	$ 476,018	$ 233,951			$ 107,799	$ 54,953	$ 314,911	$ 162,784		$ 19,663	$ 5,132	$ 54,767	$ 14,957		$ 36,750	$ 19,725	$ 106,340	$ 56,210
Income from continuing operations (a)						30,821	19,963	177,677	86,796			15,146	14,087	160,238	71,411		6,341	5,197	(656)	12,492		9,334	679	18,095	2,893
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(993)	(2,912)	(4,914)	(7,312)		(757)	(2,957)	(4,470)	(7,776)			(543)	(3,209)	(2,781)	(8,019)		(88)	(460)	(1,760)	(1,934)		(126)	712	71	2,177
Net Income attributable to W. P. Carey	27,337	18,506	206,252	75,854		28,687	13,695	201,844	73,494			13,731	12,954	184,678	66,397		7,089	3,683	(720)	8,967		7,867	(2,942)	17,886	(1,870)
Assets
Long-lived assets	5,469,846		5,469,846		3,333,654	5,469,846		5,469,846		3,333,654		3,772,632		3,772,632		2,172,549	622,164		622,164		314,423	1,075,050		1,075,050		846,682
Non-recourse debt	$ 2,702,133		$ 2,702,133		$ 1,492,410	$ 2,702,133		$ 2,702,133		$ 1,492,410	$ 6,000	$ 1,633,872		$ 1,633,872		$ 874,035	$ 336,396		$ 336,396		$ 76,222	$ 731,865		$ 731,865		$ 542,153