Basis of Presentation (Notes)	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
Basis of Presentation [Abstract]
Basis of presentation and accounting developments [Text Block]	1. Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared by West Bancorporation, Inc. (the Company) pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. Although management believes that the disclosures are adequate to make the information presented understandable, it is suggested that these interim consolidated financial statements be read in conjunction with the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010. In the opinion of management, the accompanying consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments necessary to present fairly the financial position as of June 30, 2011, and December 31, 2010, the results of operations and comprehensive income for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, and cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010. The results for these interim periods may not be indicative of results for the entire year or for any other period. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) established by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). References to GAAP issued by the FASB in these footnotes are to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification™, sometimes referred to as the Codification or ASC. In preparing the financial statements, management is required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses for the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change in the near term are the fair value of financial instruments and other than temporary impairment (OTTI), the valuation of other real estate owned, and the allowance for loan losses. The accompanying consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, the consolidated statement of stockholders' equity and cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, and the consolidated balance sheets as of June 30, 2011, and December 31, 2010, include the accounts of the Company, West Bank, West Bank's wholly-owned subsidiary WB Funding Corporation (which owns an interest in a partnership), and West Bank's 99.99 percent owned subsidiary ICD IV, LLC (a community development entity). All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. In accordance with GAAP, West Bancorporation Capital Trust I is recorded on the books of the Company using the equity method of accounting and is not consolidated. Certain items in the financial statements as of June 30, 2010 were reclassified to be consistent with the classifications used in the June 30, 2011 financial statements. The reclassification has no effect on net income or stockholders’ equity. Current accounting developments: In January 2010, the FASB issued guidance for improving disclosures about fair value measurements. This guidance is included in the Codification as part of ASC 820. The portion of the guidance that was effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2010, requires additional disclosure in the reconciliation of fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3). A reporting entity should separately present information about purchases, sales, issuances, and settlements. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial position or statement of operations. In July 2010, the FASB issued guidance for improving disclosures about an entity's credit quality and risk exposures of its loans and the allowance for loan losses. For public companies, increased disclosures as of the end of a reporting period were effective for periods ending on or after December 15, 2010. Increased disclosures about activity that occurs during a reporting period were effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning on or after December 31, 2010. In January 2011, the FASB temporarily delayed the effective date of the disclosures required for troubled debt restructured loans (TDR) for public companies. The amendment to the original pronouncement did not delay any of the other required disclosures. Since the provisions of this accounting guidance were disclosure-related, the adoption of this guidance did not have an impact on the Company's consolidated financial position or statement of operations. In April 2011, the FASB issued amended guidance clarifying for creditors which restructured loans are considered TDR. To qualify as a TDR, a creditor must separately conclude that the restructuring constitutes a concession and that the debtor is experiencing financial difficulty. The amended guidance is effective for public companies for the first interim or annual period beginning on or after June 15, 2011, and should be applied retrospectively to the beginning of the annual period of adoption. The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial position. In May 2011, the FASB issued amended guidance to improve the comparability of fair value measurements presented and disclosed in financial statements made in accordance with GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. The guidance does not extend the use of fair value accounting, but provides guidance on how it should be applied in situations where it is already required or permitted. The guidance is included in the Codification as part of ASC 820. The guidance is effective for public companies during interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company does not expect that the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements. In June 2011, the FASB issued amended guidance for improving the comparability of financial reporting and to increase the prominence of items reported in other comprehensive income. The guidance eliminated the option to present components of other comprehensive income as part of the changes in stockholders' equity and requires all nonowner changes in stockholders' equity to be presented either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. The guidance also requires entities to present all reclassification adjustments from other comprehensive income to net income on the face of the financial statements. The guidance did not change the items that must be reported in other comprehensive income or when an item of other comprehensive income must be reclassified to net income. This guidance is included in the Codification as ASC 220. The guidance is effective for public companies for fiscal years and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011, and early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted this guidance effective June 30, 2011. The adoption did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

1. Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared by West Bancorporation, Inc. (the Company) pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. Although management believes that the disclosures are adequate to make the information presented understandable, it is suggested that these interim consolidated financial statements be read in conjunction with the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010. In the opinion of management, the accompanying consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments necessary to present fairly the financial position as of June 30, 2011, and December 31, 2010, the results of operations and comprehensive income for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, and cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010. The results for these interim periods may not be indicative of results for the entire year or for any other period.

The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) established by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). References to GAAP issued by the FASB in these footnotes are to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification™, sometimes referred to as the Codification or ASC. In preparing the financial statements, management is required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses for the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change in the near term are the fair value of financial instruments and other than temporary impairment (OTTI), the valuation of other real estate owned, and the allowance for loan losses.

The accompanying consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, the consolidated statement of stockholders' equity and cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, and the consolidated balance sheets as of June 30, 2011, and December 31, 2010, include the accounts of the Company, West Bank, West Bank's wholly-owned subsidiary WB Funding Corporation (which owns an interest in a partnership), and West Bank's 99.99 percent owned subsidiary ICD IV, LLC (a community development entity). All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. In accordance with GAAP, West Bancorporation Capital Trust I is recorded on the books of the Company using the equity method of accounting and is not consolidated.

Certain items in the financial statements as of June 30, 2010 were reclassified to be consistent with the classifications used in the June 30, 2011 financial statements. The reclassification has no effect on net income or stockholders’ equity.

Current accounting developments: In January 2010, the FASB issued guidance for improving disclosures about fair value measurements. This guidance is included in the Codification as part of ASC 820. The portion of the guidance that was effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2010, requires additional disclosure in the reconciliation of fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3). A reporting entity should separately present information about purchases, sales, issuances, and settlements. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial position or statement of operations.

In July 2010, the FASB issued guidance for improving disclosures about an entity's credit quality and risk exposures of its loans and the allowance for loan losses. For public companies, increased disclosures as of the end of a reporting period were effective for periods ending on or after December 15, 2010. Increased disclosures about activity that occurs during a reporting period were effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning on or after December 31, 2010. In January 2011, the FASB temporarily delayed the effective date of the disclosures required for troubled debt restructured loans (TDR) for public companies. The amendment to the original pronouncement did not delay any of the other required disclosures. Since the provisions of this accounting guidance were disclosure-related, the adoption of this guidance did not have an impact on the Company's consolidated financial position or statement of operations.

In April 2011, the FASB issued amended guidance clarifying for creditors which restructured loans are considered TDR. To qualify as a TDR, a creditor must separately conclude that the restructuring constitutes a concession and that the debtor is experiencing financial difficulty. The amended guidance is effective for public companies for the first interim or annual period beginning on or after June 15, 2011, and should be applied retrospectively to the beginning of the annual period of adoption. The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial position.

In May 2011, the FASB issued amended guidance to improve the comparability of fair value measurements presented and disclosed in financial statements made in accordance with GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. The guidance does not extend the use of fair value accounting, but provides guidance on how it should be applied in situations where it is already required or permitted. The guidance is included in the Codification as part of ASC 820. The guidance is effective for public companies during interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company does not expect that the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In June 2011, the FASB issued amended guidance for improving the comparability of financial reporting and to increase the prominence of items reported in other comprehensive income. The guidance eliminated the option to present components of other comprehensive income as part of the changes in stockholders' equity and requires all nonowner changes in stockholders' equity to be presented either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. The guidance also requires entities to present all reclassification adjustments from other comprehensive income to net income on the face of the financial statements. The guidance did not change the items that must be reported in other comprehensive income or when an item of other comprehensive income must be reclassified to net income. This guidance is included in the Codification as ASC 220. The guidance is effective for public companies for fiscal years and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011, and early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted this guidance effective June 30, 2011. The adoption did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.