Note 3 - Allowance for Loan Losses, Nonperforming Assets and Impaired Loans - Loans and Allowance for Loan Losses by Evaluation Method (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Allowance for loan losses, individually evaluated for impairment	$ 132	$ 139
Allowance for loan losses, collectively evaluated for impairment	7,228	7,251
Allowance for loan losses	7,360	7,390	$ 7,391	$ 7,925
Loans, individually evaluated for impairment	6,337	6,820
Loans, collectively evaluated for impairment	712,619	703,577
Loans	718,956	710,397
Real Estate Construction Portfolio Segment[Member]
Allowance for loan losses, individually evaluated for impairment	0	0
Allowance for loan losses, collectively evaluated for impairment	468	398
Allowance for loan losses	468	398	295	337
Loans, individually evaluated for impairment
Loans, collectively evaluated for impairment	41,156	37,845
Loans	41,156	37,845
Consumer Real Estate Portfolio Segment [Member]
Allowance for loan losses, individually evaluated for impairment	3	4
Allowance for loan losses, collectively evaluated for impairment	2,088	2,045
Allowance for loan losses	2,091	2,049	1,929	2,027
Loans, individually evaluated for impairment	1,187	1,452
Loans, collectively evaluated for impairment	175,659	174,004
Loans	176,846	175,456
Commercial Real Estate Portfolio Segment [Member]
Allowance for loan losses, individually evaluated for impairment	0
Allowance for loan losses, collectively evaluated for impairment	2,987	2,798
Allowance for loan losses	2,987	2,798	2,790	3,044
Loans, individually evaluated for impairment	4,151	4,340
Loans, collectively evaluated for impairment	357,418	349,206
Loans	361,569	353,546
Commercial Non Real Estate Segment [Member]
Allowance for loan losses, individually evaluated for impairment	129	135
Allowance for loan losses, collectively evaluated for impairment	446	467
Allowance for loan losses	575	602	916	1,072
Loans, individually evaluated for impairment	989	1,015
Loans, collectively evaluated for impairment	44,323	45,520
Loans	45,312	46,535
Public Sector and IDA Portfolio Segment[Member]
Allowance for loan losses, individually evaluated for impairment	0	0
Allowance for loan losses, collectively evaluated for impairment	525	583
Allowance for loan losses	525	583	432	419
Loans, individually evaluated for impairment	0	0
Loans, collectively evaluated for impairment	61,075	60,777
Loans	61,075	60,777
Consumer Non Real Estate Portfolio Segment [Member]
Allowance for loan losses, individually evaluated for impairment
Allowance for loan losses, collectively evaluated for impairment	674	750
Allowance for loan losses	674	750	680	707
Loans, individually evaluated for impairment	10	13
Loans, collectively evaluated for impairment	32,988	36,225
Loans	32,998	36,238
Unallocated Financing Receivables [Member]
Allowance for loan losses, individually evaluated for impairment	0	0
Allowance for loan losses, collectively evaluated for impairment	40	210
Allowance for loan losses	40	210	$ 349	$ 319
Loans, individually evaluated for impairment	0	0
Loans, collectively evaluated for impairment		0
Loans		$ 0

The valuation allowance for financing receivables that are expected to be uncollectible that were collectively evaluated for impairment.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11B
-Subparagraph (g)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118936363&loc=SL6953423-111524

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesCollectivelyEvaluatedForImpairment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of valuation allowance for financing receivables that are expected to be uncollectible that were individually evaluated for impairment.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesIndividuallyEvaluatedForImpairment1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The balance of financing receivables that were collectively evaluated for impairment.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11B
-Subparagraph (h)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118936363&loc=SL6953423-111524

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableCollectivelyEvaluatedForImpairment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The balance of financing receivables that were individually evaluated for impairment.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11B
-Subparagraph (h)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118936363&loc=SL6953423-111524

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableIndividuallyEvaluatedForImpairment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of allowance to cover probable credit losses on loans and leases. Includes carryover of or adjustments to the allowance for loan losses in connection with business combinations. Excludes allowance for loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.7(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11B
-Subparagraph (g)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118936363&loc=SL6953423-111524

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)(1)(ii)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118939070&loc=d3e15032-111544

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11B
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118936363&loc=SL6953423-111524

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 6.L.1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27010918&loc=d3e74567-122707

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allowance of loans and leases held in portfolio, including but not limited to, commercial and consumer loans. Includes deferred interest and fees, undisbursed portion of loan balance, unamortized costs and premiums and discounts from face amounts. Excludes loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118952595&loc=d3e4428-111522

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableGrossCarryingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=nksh_RealEstateConstructionPortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=nksh_ConsumerRealEstatePortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_CommercialRealEstatePortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=nksh_CommercialNonRealEstateSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=nksh_PublicSectorAndIDAPortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=nksh_ConsumerNonRealEstatePortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_UnallocatedFinancingReceivablesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: