Consolidated Statements of Changes in Partners' Capital and Redeemable Non-Controlling Interests in Consolidated Entities - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	Total	Common Units	Partners’ Capital	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Partners’ Capital Appropriated for Consolidated Funds	Non-controlling Interests in Consolidated Entities	Non- controlling Interests in Carlyle Holdings	Redeemable Non-controlling Interests in Consolidated Entities
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 10,695.4		$ 235.1	$ (4.8)	$ 838.6	$ 8,264.8	$ 1,361.7	$ 2,887.4
Beginning Balance (in units) at Dec. 31, 2012		43.2
Reallocation of ownership interests in Carlyle Holdings			20.6	(6.7)			(13.9)
Reallocation of ownership interests in Caryle Holdings (in units)		0.2
Acquisition of non-controlling interests in consolidated entities	(7.1)		4.2	(0.3)		(33.1)	22.1
Acquisition of non-controlling interests in consolidated entities (in units)		2.9
Initial consolidation of a Consolidated Fund	69.6					69.6
Contributions	673.4					673.4		1,803.1
Distributions	(2,858.9)		(59.9)			(2,430.4)	(368.6)	(610.8)
Net income (loss)	1,075.5		104.1		(383.1)	786.8	567.7	272.3
Equity-based compensation	327.6		51.3				276.3
Issuance of common units related to acquisitions	2.1		0.3				1.8
Issuance of common units related to acquisitions (in units)		0.1
Issuance of Carlyle Holdings partnership units	16.6						16.6
Net delivery of vested common units	4.8		1.4				3.4
Net delivery of vested common units (in units)		3.0
Currency translation adjustments	372.7			(0.2)	8.1	365.1	(0.3)
Defined benefit plans, net	1.7			0.2		0.4	1.1
Change in fair value of cash flow hedge instruments	4.0			0.6			3.4
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	10,377.4		357.1	(11.2)	463.6	7,696.6	1,871.3	4,352.0
Ending Balance (in units) at Dec. 31, 2013		49.4
Reallocation of ownership interests in Carlyle Holdings			41.2	(10.3)			(30.9)
Reallocation of ownership interests in Caryle Holdings (in units)		0.1
Contributions	1,002.5					1,002.5		1,205.0
Distributions	(3,475.2)		(102.7)			(2,885.6)	(486.9)	(1,304.8)
Net income (loss)	1,380.3		85.8		(259.0)	1,209.7	343.8	(465.2)
Equity-based compensation	343.0		71.9				271.1
Issuance of common units related to acquisitions	23.1		3.7				19.4
Issuance of common units related to acquisitions (in units)		0.7
Issuance of units in public offering, net of issuance costs	146.1		97.8	(2.1)			50.4
Issuance of units in public offering, net of issuance costs (in units)		13.8
Deferred tax effects resulting from acquisition of interests in Carlyle Holdings	9.7		9.7
Deconsolidation of a Consolidated Fund								(25.5)
Issuance of Carlyle Holdings partnership units	12.8						12.8
Net delivery of vested common units	2.7		1.5				1.2
Net delivery of vested common units (in units)		3.8
Currency translation adjustments	(730.1)			(15.8)	(20.1)	(576.8)	(117.4)
Defined benefit plans, net	(0.2)			(0.1)			(0.1)
Change in fair value of cash flow hedge instruments	2.4			0.5			1.9
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	9,094.5		566.0	(39.0)	184.5	6,446.4	1,936.6	3,761.5
Ending Balance (in units) at Dec. 31, 2014		67.8
Reallocation of ownership interests in Carlyle Holdings			34.5	(12.6)			(21.9)
Reallocation of ownership interests in Caryle Holdings (in units)		0.1
Initial consolidation of a Consolidated Fund	43.9					43.9		19.9
Contributions	1,090.5					1,090.5		1,286.1
Distributions	(4,330.3)		(251.0)			(3,230.8)	(848.5)	(2,036.2)
Net income (loss)	585.5		(18.4)		(54.4)	777.7	(119.4)	(185.4)
Equity-based compensation	376.0		92.8				283.2
Issuance of common units related to acquisitions	2.3		0.5				1.8
Issuance of common units related to acquisitions (in units)		0.1
Issuance of units in public offering, net of issuance costs	0.0		52.5	(7.1)			(45.4)
Issuance of units in public offering, net of issuance costs (in units)		7.0
Deferred tax effects resulting from acquisition of interests in Carlyle Holdings	5.5		5.5
Net delivery of vested common units	4.0		3.5				0.5
Net delivery of vested common units (in units)		5.4
Currency translation adjustments	(801.0)			(32.9)	(9.3)	(633.9)	(124.9)
Defined benefit plans, net	4.4			1.0			3.4
Change in fair value of cash flow hedge instruments	2.3			0.5			1.8
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 6,077.6		$ 485.9	$ (90.1)	$ 120.8	$ 4,493.8	$ 1,067.2	$ 2,845.9
Ending Balance (in units) at Dec. 31, 2015		80.4