Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Total CPA®:17 – Global Stockholders	Noncontrolling Interests
Beginning equity balance, value at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 2,519,628	$ 306	$ 2,752,566	$ (266,211)	$ (41,599)	$ 2,445,062	$ 74,566
Beginning equity balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2012		306,903,020
Statement of Equity
Shares issued, net of offering costs, value	96,853	$ 11	96,842			96,853
Shares issued, net of offering costs, shares		10,252,652
Shares issued to affiliates, value	21,232	$ 2	21,230			21,232
Shares issued to affiliates, shares		2,116,767
Distributions declared	(203,598)			(203,598)		(203,598)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(26,760)						(26,760)
Net Income	67,649			38,714		38,714	28,935
Other comprehensive (loss) income:
Foreign currency translation adjustments	25,742				25,530	25,530	212
Change in net unrealized gain on derivative instruments	3,068				2,533	2,533	535
Change in unrealized gain on marketable securities	94				94	94
Repurchase of shares, value	(18,184)	$ (2)	(18,182)			(18,184)
Repurchase of shares, shares		(1,918,540)
Ending equity balance, value at Dec. 31, 2013	2,485,724	$ 317	2,852,456	(431,095)	(13,442)	2,408,236	77,488
Ending equity balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2013		317,353,899
Statement of Equity
Shares issued, net of offering costs, value	101,983	$ 11	101,972			101,983
Shares issued, net of offering costs, shares		11,168,340
Shares issued to affiliates, value	26,387	$ 3	26,384			26,387
Shares issued to affiliates, shares		2,756,965
Distributions declared	(210,862)			(210,862)		(210,862)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(30,776)						(30,776)
Net Income	106,993			74,151		74,151	32,842
Other comprehensive (loss) income:
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(93,401)				(91,878)	(91,878)	(1,523)
Change in net unrealized gain on derivative instruments	24,439				24,028	24,028	411
Change in unrealized gain on marketable securities	285				285	285
Repurchase of shares, value	(25,375)	$ (3)	(25,372)			(25,375)
Repurchase of shares, shares		(2,798,365)
Ending equity balance, value at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 2,385,397	$ 328	2,955,440	(567,806)	(81,007)	2,306,955	78,442
Ending equity balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2014	328,480,839	328,480,839
Statement of Equity
Shares issued, net of offering costs, value	$ 103,657	$ 11	103,646			103,657
Shares issued, net of offering costs, shares		11,009,104
Shares issued to directors, value	100	$ 0	100			100
Shares issued to directors, shares		10,288
Shares issued to affiliates, value	15,630	$ 2	15,628			15,630
Shares issued to affiliates, shares		1,613,468
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	15,928						15,928
Distributions declared	(217,311)			(217,311)		(217,311)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(35,716)						(35,716)
Net Income	124,120			84,205		84,205	39,915
Other comprehensive (loss) income:
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(81,037)				(79,716)	(79,716)	(1,321)
Change in net unrealized gain on derivative instruments	20,889				20,889	20,889	0
Change in unrealized gain on marketable securities	29				29	29
Repurchase of shares, value	(37,091)	$ (4)	(37,087)			(37,091)
Repurchase of shares, shares		(4,048,280)
Ending equity balance, value at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 2,294,595	$ 337	$ 3,037,727	$ (700,912)	$ (139,805)	$ 2,197,347	$ 97,248
Ending equity balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2015	337,065,419	337,065,419