Note 4 - Investments and Advances in Real Estate Joint Ventures (Details) - Equity in Income of Joint Ventures (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	$ 59,500		$ 30,400		$ 83,616		$ 65,090
KimPru and KimPru II [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	2,300	[1],[2]	2,100	[1],[2]	4,200	[1]	4,100	[1]
KIR [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	7,400		5,900		14,500		11,900
UBS Programs [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	700	[3]	600	[3]	1,600	[3]	400	[3]
BIG Shopping Centers [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	(500)	[4]	(800)	[4]	1,500	[4]	(1,400)	[4]
CPP [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	1,600		1,300		3,000		2,500
Kimco Income Fund [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	900		200		1,500		1,000
SEB Immobilien [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	300		200		500		300
Other Institutional Programs [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	500	[5],[6]	1,200	[5],[6]	900	[5],[6]	4,200	[5],[6]
RioCan [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	6,600	[7]	12,500	[7]	12,700	[7]	17,800	[7]
Intown [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	1,600		300		1,400		800
Latin America [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	30,500	[8]	3,900	[8]	32,100	[8]	6,500	[8]
Other Joint Venture Programs [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	$ 7,600	[10],[2],[9]	$ 3,000	[10],[2],[9]	$ 9,700	[10],[2],[9]	$ 17,000	[10],[2],[9]

[1] During the six months ended June 30, 2013, the Company purchased the remaining interest in an operating property for a purchase price of $15.8 million. As a result of this transaction, KimPru recognized an impairment charge of $4.0 million, of which the Company's share was $0.6 million.

[2] During the six months ended June 30, 2013, a joint venture in which the Company has a noncontrolling interest recognized an impairment charge of $1.8 million related to the pending sale of one property. The Company's share of this impairment charge was $0.9 million.

[3] During June 2013, the Company increased its ownership interest in the UBS Programs to 33.3% and simultaneously UBS transferred its remaining 66.7% ownership interest in the UBS Programs to affiliates of Blackstone Real Estate Partners VII ("Blackstone"). Both of these transactions were based on a gross purchase price of $1.1 billion. Upon completion of these transactions, Blackstone and the Company entered into a new joint venture (Kimstone) under a new joint venture agreement in which the Company owns a 33.3% noncontrolling interest.

[4] During the six months ended June 30, 2013, BIG recognized a gain on early extinguishment of debt of $13.7 million related to a property that was foreclosed on by a third party lender. The Company's share of this gain was $2.4 million.

[5] During the six months ended June 30, 2012, a joint venture in which the Company holds a noncontrolling interest sold two encumbered operating properties to the Company for an aggregate sales price of $75.5 million. As a result of this transaction, the Company recognized promote income of $2.6 million. Additionally, the Company evaluated these transactions pursuant to the FASB's Consolidation guidance. As such, the Company recognized a gain of $2.0 million from the fair value adjustment associated with its original ownership due to a change in control and now consolidates these operating properties.

[6] During the six months ended June 30, 2012, a joint venture in which the Company held a noncontrolling interest sold an operating property to the Company for a sales price of $127.0 million. The Company evaluated this transaction pursuant to the FASB's Consolidation guidance and as such recognized a gain of $12.1 million from the fair value adjustment associated with its original ownership due to a change in control. In addition, the Company recognized promote income of $1.1 million in connection with this transaction.

[7] During the six months ended June 30, 2012, the Company recognized income of $7.5 million, before taxes of $1.5 million, from the sale of certain air rights at one of the properties in the RioCan portfolio.

[8] During the six months ended June 30, 2013, the Company sold nine operating properties located throughout Mexico for $274.0 million which were held in unconsolidated joint ventures in which the Company has noncontrolling interests. This transaction resulted in a net gain of $48.6 million, after tax, of which the Company's share was $24.3 million.

[9] During the six months ended June 30, 2013, two joint ventures in which the Company held noncontrolling interests sold two operating properties to the Company, in separate transactions, for an aggregate sales price of $228.8 million. The Company evaluated these transactions pursuant to the FASB's Consolidation guidance. As such, the Company recognized an aggregate gain of $30.9 million, before income tax, from the fair value adjustment associated with its original ownership due to a change in control and now consolidates these operating properties.

[10] During the six months ended June 30, 2012, three joint ventures in which the Company holds noncontrolling interests sold three properties, in separate transactions, for an aggregate sales price of $180.0 million. The Company's share of income related to these transactions was an aggregate gain of $8.3 million.