Business Segments - Segment Reporting, Reconciliation of Revenues, Operating Income and Assets (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2021		Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2021		Sep. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2020		Dec. 31, 2019
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 1,183,049		$ 1,082,773	$ 3,482,207		$ 3,327,138
Operating income	765,660		556,520	1,998,723		1,636,564
General and administrative expenses	66,970		74,348	219,344		208,701
Depreciation and amortization expenses	390,806		400,738	1,181,117		1,144,903
Gains on dispositions of development properties and land, net	139,406		134,207	500,410		383,373
Gains on other dispositions of investments in real estate, net	214,390	[1]	108,927	358,180	[1]	184,357
Earnings from unconsolidated entities, net	91,818		73,972	231,286		216,844
Interest expense	(63,638)		(80,711)	(203,331)		(237,651)
Interest and other income (expense), net	(846)		(5,866)	4,615		(4,469)
Foreign currency and derivative gains (losses), net	64,172		(100,974)	138,244		(48,481)
Losses on early extinguishment of debt, net	0		(98,266)	(187,453)		(164,606)
Earnings before income taxes	857,166		344,675	1,982,084		1,398,201
Total assets	57,016,670			57,016,670			$ 56,065,005
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	7,652,323			7,652,323			7,602,014
Assets held for sale or contribution	571,671			571,671			1,070,724	[2]
Cash and cash equivalents	585,071		940,193	585,071		940,193	598,086		$ 1,088,855
Other assets	3,153,215			3,153,215			2,949,009
Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	47,664,919			47,664,919			46,390,991
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income	869,640		788,472	2,540,594		2,422,438
Total assets	47,702,813			47,702,813			46,429,882
Operating Segments [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	1,041,601		983,780	3,091,411		2,810,896
Operating income	780,581		735,270	2,296,736		2,080,106
Operating Segments [Member] | Strategic Capital [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	141,448		98,993	390,796		516,242
Operating income	89,059		53,202	243,858		342,332
Total assets	37,894			37,894			38,891
Operating Segments [Member] | U.S. [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	992,583		933,916	2,939,364		2,660,178
Operating income	746,710		699,255	2,190,308		1,976,985
Total assets	43,812,656			43,812,656			42,559,023
Operating Segments [Member] | U.S. [Member] | Strategic Capital [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	60,319		29,322	130,172		320,181
Operating income	31,397		5,184	55,051		222,390
Total assets	12,302			12,302			13,257
Operating Segments [Member] | Other Americas [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	24,791		21,132	74,179		66,947
Operating income	18,341		15,288	55,165		48,561
Total assets	1,218,015			1,218,015			1,145,699
Operating Segments [Member] | Other Americas [Member] | Strategic Capital [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	10,679		8,851	40,817		27,558
Operating income	7,518		6,276	32,072		17,803
Operating Segments [Member] | Europe [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	11,912		19,558	44,140		53,048
Operating income	6,089		14,207	26,754		33,017
Total assets	1,495,595			1,495,595			1,604,393
Operating Segments [Member] | Europe [Member] | Strategic Capital [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	45,325		36,959	136,589		101,081
Operating income	34,088		26,775	102,537		66,483
Total assets	25,280			25,280			25,280
Operating Segments [Member] | Asia [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	12,315		9,174	33,728		30,723
Operating income	9,441		6,520	24,509		21,543
Total assets	1,138,653			1,138,653			1,081,876
Operating Segments [Member] | Asia [Member] | Strategic Capital [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	25,125		23,861	83,218		67,422
Operating income	16,056		14,967	54,198		35,656
Total assets	312			312			354
Reconciling Items [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income	765,660		556,520	1,998,723		1,636,564
General and administrative expenses	(66,970)		(74,348)	(219,344)		(208,701)
Depreciation and amortization expenses	(390,806)		(400,738)	(1,181,117)		(1,144,903)
Gains on dispositions of development properties and land, net	139,406		134,207	500,410		383,373
Gains on other dispositions of investments in real estate, net	214,390		108,927	358,180		184,357
Earnings from unconsolidated entities, net	91,818		73,972	231,286		216,844
Interest expense	(63,638)		(80,711)	(203,331)		(237,651)
Interest and other income (expense), net	(846)		(5,866)	4,615		(4,469)
Foreign currency and derivative gains (losses), net	64,172		(100,974)	138,244		(48,481)
Losses on early extinguishment of debt, net	0		$ (98,266)	(187,453)		$ (164,606)
Total assets	9,313,857			9,313,857			9,635,123
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	7,652,323			7,652,323			7,602,014
Assets held for sale or contribution	571,671			571,671			1,070,724
Cash and cash equivalents	585,071			585,071			598,086
Other assets	$ 504,792			$ 504,792			$ 364,299

[1] During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, we sold our ownership interest in an unconsolidated other venture.

[2] At December 31, 2020, Assets Held for Sale or Contribution included certain properties acquired through the Liberty Transaction and the IPT Transaction that were subsequently sold during 2021.