Variable Interest Entities (Narrative) (Details) a in Thousands, $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2007 USD ($) a	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2006 USD ($) a	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2007 USD ($)
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Long-term debt		$ 8,064		$ 9,597
Long-term debt, fair value		10,500		10,900
Two Thousand Seven Monetized Notes [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Forestlands average sales | a	1,550
Amount of consideration received	$ 2,400	2,400
Deferred tax liabilities, other		$ 488
Letters of credit downgrade period of replacement		30 days
Notes receivable, fair value disclosure		$ 2,300		2,300
Long-term debt, fair value		2,100		2,100
Letters of credit issued		2,400
Long-term debt					$ 2,100
Two Thousand And Seven Financing Entities [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Forestlands average sales | a			5,600
Amount of consideration received			$ 4,800
Deferred tax liabilities, other		887
Financing Receivable, before Allowance for Credit Loss		4,800
Long-term debt		4,200
International Paper debt obligations held by the Entities		150
ip_Extension Loans requiring LC banks to maintain credit rating at or above a specified threshold		$ 1,100
Letters of credit downgrade period of replacement		60 days
Notes receivable, fair value disclosure		$ 4,900		4,900
Long-term debt, fair value		$ 4,200		$ 4,300