NONCONSOLIDATED AFFILIATES AND RELATED COMPANY TRANSACTIONS, Schedule of the Company's Direct or Indirect Ownership Interest in Principal Nonconsolidated Affiliates (Details) $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) jointventures		Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) jointventures		Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)		Dec. 10, 2015	[2]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Investment in nonconsolidated affiliates		$ 3,958		$ 4,201		$ 4,501
Equity in earnings of nonconsolidated affiliates		$ 674		$ 835		$ 1,034
Dow Corning Corporation [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		50.00%	[1]	50.00%	[1]	50.00%	[1]	100.00%
EQUATE Petrochemical Company K.S.C. [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		42.50%		42.50%		42.50%
The Kuwait Olefins Company K.S.C. [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		42.50%		42.50%		42.50%
The Kuwait Styrene Company KSC [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	[3]	42.50%		42.50%
Map Ta Phut Olefins Company [Domain]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	[2]	32.77%		32.77%		32.77%
MEGlobal [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage				50.00%		50.00%
Sadara [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		35.00%		35.00%		35.00%
Siam Polyethylene Company Limited [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		50.00%		50.00%		50.00%
Siam Polystyrene Company Limited [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		50.00%		50.00%		50.00%
Siam Styrene Monomer Co, Ltd [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		50.00%		50.00%		50.00%
Siam Synthetic Latex Company Limited [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		50.00%		50.00%		50.00%
Univation Technologies, LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	[4]			50.00%		50.00%
Nonconsolidated Affiliates [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Number of Nonconsolidated Affiliates | jointventures		55		59
Principal Nonconsolidated Affiliates [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Investment in nonconsolidated affiliates		$ 2,972		$ 3,487
Equity in earnings of nonconsolidated affiliates		$ 704		$ 845		$ 951
Direct Ownership Interest [Domain] | Map Ta Phut Olefins Company [Domain]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		20.27%
Indirect Ownership Interest [Domain] [Domain] | Map Ta Phut Olefins Company [Domain]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		12.50%

[1] On December 10, 2015, the Company entered into a definitive agreement to restructure the ownership of Dow Corning. Under the terms of the agreements, Dow will become the 100 percent owner of Dow Corning, currently a 50:50 joint venture between Dow and Corning Incorporated ("Corning"). Dow and Corning will maintain their current equity stake in the Hemlock Semiconductor Group. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2016.

[2] The Company's effective ownership of Map Ta Phut Olefins Company Limited is 32.77 percent, of which the Company directly owns 20.27 percent and indirectly owns 12.5 percent through its equity interest in Siam Polyethylene Company Limited and Siam Synthetic Latex Company Limited.

[3] The Kuwait Styrene Company K.S.C. was added as a principal nonconsolidated affiliate in the fourth quarter of 2014.

[4] On May 5, 2015, Univation, previously a 50:50 joint venture between Dow and ExxonMobil, became a wholly owned subsidiary of Dow. See Note 4 for additional information on this transaction.