<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-15</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000051434</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>INTERNATIONAL PAPER CO /NEW/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>IP</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001171804</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DILLON JOHN T</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chairman and CEO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock </value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>36</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>36.53</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>36</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>41612</value><footnoteId id="F1"/><footnoteId id="F4"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>DCSP</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Share numbers are rounded.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Not Applicable.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Date used as a place holder until SEC system is modified.  Amounts deferred pursuant to the IP Deferred Compensation Savings Plan.</footnote><footnote id="F4">Investments in the SSP (International Paper Salaried Savings Plan) and DCSP (International Paper Deferred Compensation Savings Plan) are in a unitized fund of shares and cash.  The investment in the DCSP operates similar to the SSP company stock fund, and the number of units will vary as the price of the Issure's common stock varies.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Beth Murphree, Attorney-in-Fact for John T. Dillon</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-16</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

