Consolidated Statement Of Changes In Equity (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	U.S. Plans [Member] Common Stock Issued [Member]	U.S. Plans [Member] Paid-In Capital [Member]	U.S. Plans [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	U.S. Plans [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	U.S. Plans [Member] Treasury Stock [Member]	U.S. Plans [Member] Total International Paper Shareholders' Equity [Member]	U.S. Plans [Member] Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	U.S. Plans [Member]	Non-U.S. Plans [Member] Common Stock Issued [Member]	Non-U.S. Plans [Member] Paid-In Capital [Member]	Non-U.S. Plans [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Non-U.S. Plans [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Non-U.S. Plans [Member] Treasury Stock [Member]	Non-U.S. Plans [Member] Total International Paper Shareholders' Equity [Member]	Non-U.S. Plans [Member] Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Non-U.S. Plans [Member]	Common Stock Issued [Member]	Paid-In Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Total International Paper Shareholders' Equity [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Total
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2008																	$ 434	$ 5,845	$ 1,430	$ (3,322)	$ 218	$ 4,169	$ 232	$ 4,401
Issuance of stock for various plans, net																	3	(42)	0	0	(139)	100	0	100
Repurchase of stock																	0	0	0	0	10	(10)	0	(10)
Cash dividends - Common Stock																	0	0	(144)	0	0	(144)	0	(144)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests by subsidiary																	0	0	0	0	0	0	(17)	(17)
Noncontrolling interests of acquired entities																	0	0	0	0	0	0	(1)	(1)
Comprehensive income (loss):
Net earnings (loss)																	0	0	663	0	0	663	18	681
Amortization of pension and postretirement prior service costs and net loss:
U.S. plans, less tax																	0	0	0	109	0	109	0	109
Pension and postretirement liability adjustments:
Pension and postretirement liability adjustments, less tax	0	0	0	351	0	351	0	351	0	0	0	19	0	19	0	19
Change in cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment																	0	0	0	672	0	672	0	672
Net gains (losses) on cash flow hedging derivatives:
Net gains (losses) arising during the period, less tax																	0	0	0	40	0	40	0	40
(Plus) Less: Reclassification adjustment for (gains) losses included in net earnings, less tax																	0	0	0	54	0	54	0	54
Total comprehensive income (loss)																								1,926
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2009																	437	5,803	1,949	(2,077)	89	6,023	232	6,255
Issuance of stock for various plans, net																	2	38	0	0	(87)	127	0	127
Repurchase of stock																	0	0	0	0	26	(26)	0	(26)
Cash dividends - Common Stock																	0	0	(177)	0	0	(177)	0	(177)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests by subsidiary																	0	0	0	0	0	0	(6)	(6)
Noncontrolling interests of acquired entities																	0	0	0	0	0	0	9	9
Acquisition of noncontrolling interests																	0	(12)	0	0	0	(12)	(8)	(20)
Comprehensive income (loss):
Net earnings (loss)																	0	0	644	0	0	644	21	665
Amortization of pension and postretirement prior service costs and net loss:
U.S. plans, less tax																	0	0	0	114	0	114	0	114
Pension and postretirement liability adjustments:
Pension and postretirement liability adjustments, less tax	0	0	0	85	0	85	0	85	0	0	0	(4)	0	(4)	0	(4)
Change in cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment																	0	0	0	68	0	68	2	70
Net gains (losses) on cash flow hedging derivatives:
Net gains (losses) arising during the period, less tax																	0	0	0	23	0	23	0	23
(Plus) Less: Reclassification adjustment for (gains) losses included in net earnings, less tax																	0	0	0	(31)	0	(31)	0	(31)
Total comprehensive income (loss)																								922
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2010																	439	5,829	2,416	(1,822)	28	6,834	250	7,084
Issuance of stock for various plans, net																	0	79	0	0	(6)	85	0	85
Repurchase of stock																	0	0	0	0	30	(30)	0	(30)
Cash dividends - Common Stock																	0	0	(427)	0	0	(427)	0	(427)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests by subsidiary																	0	0	0	0	0	0	(5)	(5)
Noncontrolling interests of acquired entities																	0	0	0	0	0	0	37	37
Acquisition of noncontrolling interests																	0	0	0	0	0	0	40	40
Comprehensive income (loss):
Net earnings (loss)																	0	0	1,341	0	0	1,341	14	1,355
Amortization of pension and postretirement prior service costs and net loss:
U.S. plans, less tax																	0	0	0	139	0	139	0	139
Pension and postretirement liability adjustments:
Pension and postretirement liability adjustments, less tax	0	0	0	(783)	0	(783)	0	(783)	0	0	0	(5)	0	(5)	0	(5)
Change in cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment																	0	0	0	(499)	0	(499)	4	(495)
Net gains (losses) on cash flow hedging derivatives:
Net gains (losses) arising during the period, less tax																	0	0	0	(43)	0	(43)	0	(43)
(Plus) Less: Reclassification adjustment for (gains) losses included in net earnings, less tax																	0	0	0	8	0	8	0	8
Total comprehensive income (loss)																								176
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2011																	$ 439	$ 5,908	$ 3,330	$ (3,005)	$ 52	$ 6,620	$ 340	$ 6,960