PLANNED MERGER WITH DUPONT	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Proposed Merger with DuPont [Abstract]
Proposed Merger with DuPont [Text Block]	On December 11, 2015, Dow and E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company ("DuPont") entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger ("Merger Agreement") to effect an all-stock, merger of equals strategic combination ("Merger Transaction") resulting in a newly formed corporation named DowDuPont Inc. ("DowDuPont"). Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, Dow and DuPont will each merge with wholly owned subsidiaries of DowDuPont (the "Mergers") and, as a result of the Mergers, will become subsidiaries of DowDuPont. Following the consummation of the Mergers, Dow and DuPont intend to pursue, subject to the receipt of regulatory approvals and approval by the board of directors of DowDuPont, the separation of the combined company’s agriculture business, specialty products business and material science business through one or more tax-efficient transactions. Additional information about the Merger Agreement is included in Dow's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on December 11, 2015. On June 9, 2016, DowDuPont's registration statement filed with the SEC on Form S-4 (File No. 333-209869), as amended, was declared effective. The registration statement was filed in connection with the proposed Mergers and includes a joint proxy statement of Dow and DuPont and a prospectus of DowDuPont. The companies also scheduled special meetings of their respective stockholders to seek adoption of the Merger Agreement and approval of related matters from such stockholders. Each company's common stockholders of record as of the close of business on June 2, 2016, were entitled to vote at the respective meeting. Dow's special meeting of stockholders was held on July 20, 2016, which resulted in a vote for adoption of the Merger Agreement and approval of related matters. On February 2, 2017, Dow announced it reached an agreement to sell its global ethylene acrylic acid ("EAA") copolymers and ionomers business to SK Global Chemical Co., Ltd. as part of the ongoing regulatory approval process for the Merger Transaction. The divestiture will be conditioned on Dow and DuPont closing the Merger Transaction, in addition to other closing conditions, including regulatory filings, local employment law and governance obligations. On February 7, 2017, Dow and DuPont submitted a proposed remedy package to the European Commission (“EC”) which includes the proposed divestment of Dow’s EAA business and a portion of DuPont’s crop protection business and associated research and development. As a result, the EC’s deadline to review the proposed remedy actions has been extended to April 4, 2017. Dow and DuPont remain focused on closing the transaction and continue to work constructively with regulatory agencies in all relevant jurisdictions, including the United States, European Union, China, Brazil and Canada. Given current regulatory agency status, closing is expected to occur in the first half of 2017, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including receipt of all regulatory approvals.

On December 11, 2015, Dow and E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company ("DuPont") entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger ("Merger Agreement") to effect an all-stock, merger of equals strategic combination ("Merger Transaction") resulting in a newly formed corporation named DowDuPont Inc. ("DowDuPont"). Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, Dow and DuPont will each merge with wholly owned subsidiaries of DowDuPont (the "Mergers") and, as a result of the Mergers, will become subsidiaries of DowDuPont. Following the consummation of the Mergers, Dow and DuPont intend to pursue, subject to the receipt of regulatory approvals and approval by the board of directors of DowDuPont, the separation of the combined company’s agriculture business, specialty products business and material science business through one or more tax-efficient transactions. Additional information about the Merger Agreement is included in Dow's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on December 11, 2015.

On June 9, 2016, DowDuPont's registration statement filed with the SEC on Form S-4 (File No. 333-209869), as amended, was declared effective. The registration statement was filed in connection with the proposed Mergers and includes a joint proxy statement of Dow and DuPont and a prospectus of DowDuPont. The companies also scheduled special meetings of their respective stockholders to seek adoption of the Merger Agreement and approval of related matters from such stockholders. Each company's common stockholders of record as of the close of business on June 2, 2016, were entitled to vote at the respective meeting. Dow's special meeting of stockholders was held on July 20, 2016, which resulted in a vote for adoption of the Merger Agreement and approval of related matters.

On February 2, 2017, Dow announced it reached an agreement to sell its global ethylene acrylic acid ("EAA") copolymers and ionomers business to SK Global Chemical Co., Ltd. as part of the ongoing regulatory approval process for the Merger Transaction. The divestiture will be conditioned on Dow and DuPont closing the Merger Transaction, in addition to other closing conditions, including regulatory filings, local employment law and governance obligations. On February 7, 2017, Dow and DuPont submitted a proposed remedy package to the European Commission (“EC”) which includes the proposed divestment of Dow’s EAA business and a portion of DuPont’s crop protection business and associated research and development. As a result, the EC’s deadline to review the proposed remedy actions has been extended to April 4, 2017.

Dow and DuPont remain focused on closing the transaction and continue to work constructively with regulatory agencies in all relevant jurisdictions, including the United States, European Union, China, Brazil and Canada. Given current regulatory agency status, closing is expected to occur in the first half of 2017, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including receipt of all regulatory approvals.