Consolidated Statement Of Operations (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Income Statement [Abstract]
NET SALES	$ 27,833	[1]	$ 26,034	[1]	$ 25,179	[1]
COSTS AND EXPENSES
Cost of products sold	20,587		18,960		18,482
Selling and administrative expenses	2,092		1,887		1,930
Depreciation, amortization and cost of timber harvested	1,486	[2]	1,332	[2]	1,456	[2]
Distribution expenses	1,611		1,390		1,318
Taxes other than payroll and income taxes	166		146		192
Restructuring and other charges	109		102		394
Net (gains) losses on sales and impairments of businesses	86		218		(23)
Interest expense, net	672		541		608
EARNINGS (LOSS) FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES AND EQUITY EARNINGS	1,024	[3],[4],[5],[6]	1,458	[7]	822
Income tax provision (benefit)	331		311		221
Equity earnings (loss), net of taxes	61		140		111
EARNINGS (LOSS) FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS	754		1,287		712
Discontinued operations, net of taxes	45	[8]	49	[8]	0
NET EARNINGS (LOSS)	799		1,336		712
Less: Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	5		14		21
NET EARNINGS (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO INTERNATIONAL PAPER COMPANY	794	[10],[11],[3],[4],[5],[6],[8],[9]	1,322	[7]	691
BASIC EARNINGS (LOSS) PER SHARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO INTERNATIONAL PAPER COMPANY COMMON SHAREHOLDERS
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	$ 1.72	[10],[11],[3],[4],[5],[6],[9]	$ 2.95	[8]	$ 1.61
Discontinued operations, net of taxes	$ 0.10	[8]	$ 0.11	[8]	$ 0
Net earnings (loss)	$ 1.82	[10],[11],[3],[4],[5],[6],[8],[9]	$ 3.06	[10],[11],[3],[4],[5],[6],[8],[9]	$ 1.61
DILUTED EARNINGS (LOSS) PER SHARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO INTERNATIONAL PAPER COMPANY COMMON SHAREHOLDERS
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	$ 1.70	[10],[11],[3],[4],[5],[6],[9]	$ 2.92	[10],[11],[3],[4],[5],[6],[9]	$ 1.59
Discontinued operations, net of taxes	$ 0.10	[8]	$ 0.11	[8]	$ 0
Net earnings (loss)	$ 1.80	[10],[11],[3],[4],[5],[6],[8],[9]	$ 3.03	[10],[11],[3],[4],[5],[6],[8],[9]	$ 1.59
AMOUNTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO INTERNATIONAL PAPER COMPANY COMMON SHAREHOLDERS
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	749		1,273		691
Discontinued operations, net of taxes	45	[8]	49	[8]	0
Net earnings (loss)	$ 794	[10],[11],[3],[4],[5],[6],[8],[9]	$ 1,322	[7]	$ 691

[1] Net sales are attributed to countries based on the location of the seller.

[2] Excludes accelerated depreciation related to closure of mills.

[3] Includes a pre-tax charge of $17 million ($13 million after taxes) for an inventory write-off, severance and other costs associated with the restructuring of the Company’s xpedx operations, a pre-tax charge of $12 million ($7 million after taxes) for costs associated with the signing of an agreement to acquire Temple-Inland, a pre-tax gain of $4 million ($3 million after taxes) for an adjustment to the previously recorded loss to reduce the carrying value of the Company’s Shorewood business, a charge of $3 million (before and after taxes) for asset impairment charges at our Inverurie, Scotland mill which was closed in 2009, and a gain of $6 million (before and after taxes) for interest associated with a tax claim.

[4] Includes a pre-tax charge of $16 million ($10 million after taxes) for costs associated with the acquisition of a majority share of Andhra Pradesh Paper Mills Limited in India, a pre-tax charge of $18 million ($13 million after taxes) for costs associated with the restructuring of the Company’s xpedx operations, a pre-tax charge of $8 million ($5 million after taxes) for costs associated with signing an agreement to acquire Temple-Inland, a pre-tax charge of $6 million ($4 million after taxes) for costs associated with the sale of the Company’s Shorewood operations, and a pre-tax charge of $82 million (a gain of $140 million after taxes) to reduce the carrying value of the Shorewood business based on the terms of the definitive agreement to sell this business.

[5] Includes a pre-tax charge of $27 million ($17 million after taxes) for an environmental reserve related to the Company’s property in Cass Lake, Minnesota, a pre-tax gain of $21 million ($13 million after taxes) related to the reversal of environmental reserves due to the announced repurposing of a portion of the Franklin mill, a pre-tax charge of $10 million ($6 million after taxes) for costs associated with the restructuring of the Company’s xpedx operations, and a pre-tax charge of $129 million ($104 million after taxes) for a fixed-asset impairment of the North American Shorewood business.

[6] Includes a pre-tax charge of $32 million ($19 million after taxes) for early debt extinguishment costs, a pre-tax charge of $7 million ($4 million after taxes) for costs associated with the restructuring of the Company’s xpedx operations, and a charge of $8 million (before and after taxes) for asset impairment costs associated with the Inverurie, Scotland mill which was closed in 2009.

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[8] Includes a pre-tax gain of $50 million ($30 million after taxes) for an earnout provision related to the sale of the Company’s Kraft Papers business completed in January 2007. Also, the Company sold its Brazilian Coated Paper business in the third quarter 2006. Local country tax contingency reserves were included in the business’ operating results in 2005 and 2006 for which the related statute of limitations has expired. The reserves were reversed and a tax benefit of $15 million plus associated interest income of $6 million ($4 million after taxes) was recorded.

[9] Includes a tax benefit of $222 million related to the reduction of the carrying value of the Shorewood business and the write-off of a deferred tax liability associated with Shorewood, and noncontrolling interest income of $8 million (before and after taxes) associated with the fixed asset impairment of Shorewood Mexico.

[10] Includes a gain of $7 million (before and after taxes) related to a bargain price adjustment on an acquisition by our joint venture in Turkey.

[11] (n)Includes a $24 million expense related to internal restructurings, a $9 million expense for costs associated with our acquisition of a majority interest in Andhra Pradesh Paper Mills Limited, a $13 million tax benefit related to the release of a deferred tax asset valuation allowance, and a $2 million expense for other items.