EARNINGS PER SHARE CALCULATIONS (Net Income) (Details) (USD $) In Millions	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2010
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net Income	$ 903		$ 597	$ 2,701		$ 1,808
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(3)		0	(24)		(9)
Net Income attributable to The Dow Chemical Company	900		597	2,677		1,799
Preferred stock dividends	(85)		(85)	(255)		(255)
Net Income Available for The Dow Chemical Company Common Stockholders	815		512	2,422		1,544
Net income attributable to participating securities	(11)	[1]		(31)	[1]
Net income attributable to common stockholders	$ 804			$ 2,391

[1] Accounting Standards Codification Topic 260, "Earnings per Share," requires enterprises with participating securities to use the two-class method to calculate earnings per share and to report the most dilutive earnings per share amount. Deferred stock awards are considered participating securities due to Dow's practice of paying dividend equivalents on unvested shares. The impact on earnings per share in 2010 using the two-class method was immaterial.