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				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013		Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2013		Sep. 30, 2012
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	$ 96,200		$ 24,500		$ 179,791		$ 89,587
KimPru and KimPru II [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	2,400	[1]	1,500	[1]	6,600	[1]	5,600	[1]
KIR [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	9,000	[2]	5,300	[2]	23,500	[2]	17,200	[2]
UBS Programs [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	200	[3]	(700)	[3]	1,700	[3]	(300)	[3]
Kimstone [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	1,800	[3]		[3]	1,800	[3]		[3]
BIG Shopping Centers [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	900	[4]	(600)	[4]	2,300	[4]	(2,100)	[4]
CPP [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	1,500		1,500		4,500		4,000
Kimco Income Fund [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	900		300		2,500		1,400
SEB Immobilien [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	300		200		800		500
Other Institutional Programs [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	200	[5],[6]	400	[5],[6]	1,100	[5],[6]	4,600	[5],[6]
RioCan [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	7,300	[7]	6,400	[7]	20,000	[7]	24,200	[7]
Intown [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures			1,500		1,400		2,400
Latin America [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	69,300	[10],[11],[8],[9]	4,500	[10],[11],[8],[9]	101,400	[10],[11],[8],[9]	11,100	[10],[11],[8],[9]
Other Joint Venture Programs [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in income of joint ventures	$ 2,400	[12],[13]	$ 4,200	[12],[13]	$ 12,200	[12],[13]	$ 21,000	[12],[13]

[1] During the nine months ended September 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 nine months ended September 30, 2013, KIR sold an operating property in Cincinnati, OH for a sales price of $30.0 million and recognized a gain of $6.1 million. The Company's share of this gain was $3.0 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) in which the Company owns a 33.3% noncontrolling interest.

[4] During the nine months ended September 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 nine months ended September 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 nine months ended September 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 nine months ended September 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 nine months ended September 30, 2013, joint ventures in which the Company held noncontrolling interests sold ten operating properties located throughout Mexico for $315.5 million. These transactions resulted in an aggregate net gain to the Company of $21.8 million, after tax.

[9] During the nine months ended September 30, 2013, the Company and its joint venture partner sold their noncontrolling ownership interest in a joint venture which held interests in 84 operating properties located throughout Mexico for $603.5 million (including debt of $301.2 million). This transaction resulted in a net gain to the Company of $78.2 million, before income taxes of $25.1 million.

[10] During the nine months ended September 30, 2013, a joint venture in which the Company held a noncontrolling interest sold nine operating properties located throughout Chile for net proceeds of $17.6 million. This transaction resulted in a net gain to the Company of $4.0 million.

[11] The Company is currently in advanced negotiations to sell 11 operating properties located throughout Mexico, which are held in unconsolidated joint ventures in which the Company holds noncontrolling interests. Based upon the allocation of the selling price, the Company has recorded impairment charges of $12.9 million on six of these properties. (see Footnote 2 - Impairment Charges).

[12] During the nine months ended September 30, 2013, a joint venture in which the Company has a noncontrolling interest sold an operating property for a sales price of $7.6 million and recognized an impairment charge of $2.0 million. The Company's share of this impairment charge was $1.0 million.

[13] During the nine months ended September 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 the aggregate gain related to these transactions was $8.3 million.