The capitalized costs incurred during the period (excluded from amortization) to purchase, lease or otherwise acquire an unproved property, including costs of lease bonuses and options to purchase or lease properties, the portion of costs applicable to minerals when land including mineral rights is purchased in fee, brokers' fees, recording fees, legal costs, and other costs incurred in acquiring properties.

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Amount of assets held-for-sale that are not part of a disposal group.

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Amount classified as assets attributable to disposal group held for sale or disposed of.

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Amount of facility held for productive use including, but not limited to, office, production, storage and distribution facilities, acquired at the acquisition date.

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Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary difference assumed at the acquisition date that are classified as current.

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The amount of identifiable intangible assets recognized as of the acquisition date.

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Amount of real estate acquired, at the acquisition date.

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For transactions that are recognized separately from the acquisition of assets and assumptions of liabilities in the business combination, such as related to pre-existing relationships with the acquiree, this element represents the disclosure of the amount of acquisition related costs which have been expensed.

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The net investment in direct financing leases as of the balance sheet date consisting of: (a) minimum lease payments due on direct financing leases, (b) unguaranteed residual value, and (c) any unamortized initial direct costs; less: (i) executory costs, (ii) unearned income, and (iii) the accumulated allowance for uncollectible minimum lease payments.

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The aggregate costs related to construction and development services during the reporting period.

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The amount of expense recognized in the current period that reflects the allocation of the cost of tangible assets over the assets' useful lives. Includes production and non-production related depreciation.

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Foreign exchange rate used to translate amounts denominated in functional currency to reporting currency.

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Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

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The number of real estate properties owned as of the balance sheet date.

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Amount after tax and reclassification adjustments of gain (loss) on foreign currency translation adjustments, foreign currency transactions designated and effective as economic hedges of a net investment in a foreign entity and intra-entity foreign currency transactions that are of a long-term-investment nature.

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Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of improvements having a life longer than one year that were made for the benefit of one or more tenants.

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Construction costs capitalized to date on capital projects that have not been completed and assets being constructed that are not ready to be placed into service.

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The increase decrease in foreign currency exchange rate.

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The total cost to acquire investments. In instances where the acquired investment is categorized as a business combination the investment price excludes fees and expenses related to the acquisition, whereas when the investment is categorized as an real estate acquisition the acquisition fees are capitalized.

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Maximum Tenant Reimbursement Cost

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Number of Net Lease Properties Sold

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Partially Completed Construction Projects, Count

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Net Investments in Properties - Narratives (Details) $ in Thousands																								1 Months Ended		2 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 09, 2016 USD ($)	Oct. 20, 2016 USD ($)	Oct. 04, 2016 USD ($)	Apr. 14, 2016 USD ($) property	Dec. 22, 2015 USD ($)	Nov. 11, 2015 USD ($) property	Oct. 15, 2015 USD ($) property	Aug. 24, 2015 USD ($)	Aug. 06, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 17, 2015 USD ($)	Apr. 10, 2015 USD ($)	Feb. 11, 2015 USD ($)	Jan. 28, 2015 USD ($) property	Dec. 19, 2014 USD ($) property	Dec. 12, 2014 USD ($)	Nov. 04, 2014 USD ($)	Oct. 28, 2014 USD ($) property	Oct. 13, 2014 USD ($)	Oct. 07, 2014 USD ($)	Aug. 22, 2014 USD ($)	Aug. 06, 2014 USD ($)	May 15, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 26, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 01, 2016 USD ($) property	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 09, 2016 USD ($)	May 31, 2016 USD ($) property	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) property tenant	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) property	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) property	Jan. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 04, 2013 USD ($)
Investments in real estate
Decrease in value of balance sheet item due to foreign currency translation																												$ 92,434	$ 125,447	$ 117,938
Depreciation																												142,700	137,300	113,000
Goodwill																												635,920	681,809	692,415		$ 350,208
Net investment in direct financing leases																												684,059	756,353
Net investment in properties																												4,801,400	5,011,145
Funds capitalized for construction in progress																												$ 58,700
Construction projects in progress \| property																												3
Accrued noncash investing activities																												$ 2,100
Unfunded commitment																												135,200	12,200
Assets placed into service																									$ 53,200
Investment in real estate under construction																												56,557	28,040	20,647
Assets held for sale																												26,247	$ 59,046
Asset held for sale, deferred tax liabilities																												$ 2,500
Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale
Investments in real estate
Number of net lease properties sold \| property																												28
Discontinued Operations, Held-for-sale
Investments in real estate
Number of real estate properties \| property																													2
Asset under Construction
Investments in real estate
Reclassification of properties owned																												$ (2,200)
CPA: 16 - Global
Investments in real estate
Goodwill																															$ 346,642
Net investment in direct financing leases																															538,225
Net investment in properties																															1,970,175
Assets held for sale																															$ 133,415
Property in Doraville, Georgia
Investments in real estate
Construction and development costs																												13,800
Assets placed into service																												24,700
Mönchengladbach, Germany
Investments in real estate
BTS commitment																																	$ 65,000
Real estate
Investments in real estate
Decrease in value of balance sheet item due to foreign currency translation																												89,800
Investment purchase price																										$ 1,900		$ 530,300	$ 116,000	536,700
Number of properties reclassified \| property																												31
Land acquired																												$ 140,200	8,600	83,900
Buildings acquired																												259,800	68,100	366,600
Acquisition costs, capitalized																												4,000	3,900	17,800
Intangible assets acquired																												130,300	39,400	82,900
Net investment in direct financing leases																														$ 3,300
Net investment in properties																												4,731,832	4,937,190
Reclassification of properties owned																												$ (9,700)
Number of purchase options exercised \| tenant																												2
Other real estate, period increase (decrease)																												$ (411,200)
Purchase option exercise price, value																												21,600
Assets held for sale, not part of disposal group																												16,300
Real estate \| Private Campus in Various Locations
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price																											$ 167,700
Number of real estate properties \| property																											3
Commitment for capital expenditure																											$ 128,100
Funds capitalized for construction in progress																												$ 16,900
Real estate \| Manufacturing Facility
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price				$ 218,200
Real estate \| Manufacturing Facility \| Domestic
Investments in real estate
Number of real estate properties \| property				43
Real estate \| Manufacturing Facility \| Canada
Investments in real estate
Number of real estate properties \| property				6
Real estate \| Manufacturing facility in San Antonio, Texas
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price			$ 3,800
Real estate \| Land in McCalla, Alabama
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price		$ 1,100
Commitment for capital expenditure		$ 21,500
Real estate \| Manufacturing facilities in various locations in Canada, Mexico, and the United States Member
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price																								$ 140,700
Deferred tax liability																								$ 29,400
Real estate \| Manufacturing facilities in various locations in Canada, Mexico, and the United States Member \| Canada
Investments in real estate
Number of real estate properties \| property																								13
Real estate \| Land in Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price	$ 800
Maximum tenant reimbursement cost	$ 700																									$ 700
Real estate \| Office building in Sunderland, United Kingdom
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price									$ 53,500
Real estate \| Auto Dealerships in Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Houten,Nieuwegein, Utrecht, Veghel, and Zwaag, Netherlands
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price						$ 62,500
Number of real estate properties \| property						10
Real estate \| Agricultural facilities in Australia
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price																	$ 138,300
Real estate \| Agricultural facilities in Australia \| Industrial
Investments in real estate
Number of real estate properties \| property																	10
Commitment for tenant improvement																	$ 14,800
Real estate \| Agricultural facilities in Australia \| Agricultural
Investments in real estate
Number of real estate properties \| property																	21
Real estate \| Manufacturing facility in Lewisburg Ohio
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price																$ 19,800
Real estate \| Various offices in Spain
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price														$ 378,500
Number of real estate properties \| property														70
Real estate \| CPA: 16 - Global
Investments in real estate
Number of real estate properties \| property																														225
Net investment in properties																														$ 2,000,000
Business combination
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price																													561,600	366,900
Land acquired																													89,500	33,100
Buildings acquired																													382,600	278,100
Intangible assets acquired																													89,500	55,700
Acquisition costs, expensed																													$ 11,100	3,300
Business combination \| Various auto dealerships in the United Kingdom
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price													$ 345,900
Number of real estate properties \| property													73
Business combination \| Logistic facilty in Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price												$ 42,400
Business combination \| Retail facility in Bad Fischau, Austria
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price											$ 23,200
Business combination \| Logistic facility in Oskarshamn, Sweden
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price										$ 26,300
Business combination \| Various maintenance facilities in Europe
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price								$ 41,200
Business combination \| Hotels in Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Texas
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price							$ 51,700
Number of real estate properties \| property							6
Business combination \| Office Building in Irvine, California
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price					$ 30,900
Business combination \| Office building in Chandler Arizona
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price																							$ 41,900
Business combination \| Warehouse facility in University Park, Illinois
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price																						$ 47,200
Business combination \| Office building in Stavanger, Norway
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price																					$ 117,700
Deferred tax liability																					14,700
Goodwill																					$ 11,100
Business combination \| Office building in Westborough, Massachusetts
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price																				$ 46,000
Business combination \| Office building in Andover, Massachusetts
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price																			$ 56,000
Business combination \| Office building in Newport, United Kingdom
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price																		$ 29,100
Business combination \| Industrial/Distribution center in Opole, Poland
Investments in real estate
Investment purchase price															$ 29,000
Hotel
Investments in real estate
Number of real estate properties \| property																												2	2
Self-storage
Investments in real estate
Number of real estate properties \| property																													1
Operating real estate
Investments in real estate
Depreciation																												$ 4,200	$ 4,200	3,800
Net investment in properties																												69,568	$ 73,955
Other real estate, period increase (decrease)																												(2,300)
Tenant improvements																												2,200
Assets held-for-sale
Investments in real estate
Number of real estate properties \| property																													2
Net investments in direct financing leases
Investments in real estate
Decrease in value of balance sheet item due to foreign currency translation																												$ 18,300
Number of properties reclassified \| property																												31
Reclassification of properties owned																												$ 9,700		$ 13,700
Assets held for sale																												$ 26,247	$ 0
GBP
Investments in real estate
(Decrease) increase in exchange rate																												(17.00%)
Foreign currency exchange rate																												1.2312	1.4833
Euro
Investments in real estate
(Decrease) increase in exchange rate																												(3.20%)
Foreign currency exchange rate																												1.0541	1.0887