Share-based Compensation of the Company Options Outstanding by Exercise Price (Details) (USD $)		9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011 Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc years	Sep. 30, 2011 Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc Member One Exercise Price [Member] years	Sep. 30, 2011 Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc Member Two Exercise Price [Member] years	Sep. 30, 2011 Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc Member Three Exercise Price [Member] years	Sep. 30, 2011 Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc Member Four Exercise Price [Member] years	Mar. 31, 2011 Member Four Exercise Price [Member]
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Grant Date Exercise Price		$ 9.69	$ 9.7075	$ 11.8125	$ 26.06
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range, Number of Outstanding Options	297,700	10,000	90,700	12,000	185,000
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range, Outstanding Options, Weighted Average Exercise Price, Beginning Balance	$ 19.95	$ 9.69	$ 9.71	$ 11.81	$ 26.06
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range, Outstanding Options, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	6.84	2.57	2.58	3.09	9.41
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range, Number of Exercisable Options	112,700	10,000	90,700	12,000	0
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range, Exercisable Options, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 9.92	$ 9.69	$ 9.71	$ 11.81	$ 0.00
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Dividend Rate						3.00%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-Based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Forfeiture Rate Used, Minimum						3.00%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Forfeiture Rate Used, Maximum						20.00%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Volatility Rate						32.80%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate						2.90%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Term						7

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- Definition

The estimated dividend rate (a percentage of the share price) to be paid (expected dividends) to holders of the underlying shares over the option's term.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 123R

-Paragraph A240

-Subparagraph e(2)(c)

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- Definition

The period of time an equity-based award is expected to be outstanding. An equity-based award's expected term is generally determined based on, among other factors, the instrument's contractual term and the effects of employees' expected exercise and post-vesting employment termination behavior.

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-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 14.D.2)

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)

-Number Topic 14

-Section D

-Subsection 2

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- Definition

The estimated measure of the percentage by which a share price is expected to fluctuate during a period. Volatility also may be defined as a probability-weighted measure of the dispersion of returns about the mean. The volatility of a share price is the standard deviation of the continuously compounded rates of return on the share over a specified period. That is the same as the standard deviation of the differences in the natural logarithms of the stock prices plus dividends, if any, over the period.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 123R

-Paragraph A240

-Subparagraph e(2)(b)

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- Definition

The risk-free interest rate assumption that is used in valuing an option on its own shares.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

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-Subparagraph e(2)(d)

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- Definition

Weighted average exercise price as of the balance sheet date for those equity-based payment arrangements exercisable and outstanding.

+ References

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

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The number of shares reserved for issuance pertaining to the outstanding exercisable stock options as of the balance sheet date in the customized range of exercise prices for which the market and performance vesting condition has been satisfied.

+ References

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The number of shares reserved for issuance pertaining to the outstanding stock options as of the balance sheet date for all option plans in the customized range of exercise prices.

+ References

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The weighted average price as of the balance sheet date at which grantees could acquire the underlying shares with respect to all outstanding stock options which are in the customized range of exercise prices.

+ References

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The weighted-average period remaining as of the balance sheet date until option expiration pertaining to the outstanding stock options for all option plans in the customized range of exercise prices, which may be expressed in a variety of ways (for example, years, months).

+ References

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