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Label Element Value
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName iSHARES INC
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Jan. 01, 2011
iShares MSCI BRIC Index Fund | iShares MSCI BRIC Index Fund
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.69%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets none
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.69%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 70
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 221
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 384
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 859
Annual Return 2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (58.11%) [1]
Annual Return 2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 89.85% [1]
Year to Date Return, Label rr_YearToDateReturnLabel The Fund's total return for the nine months ended September 30, 2010
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate Sep. 30, 2010
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn 4.63%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel best calendar quarter return
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 41.58%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel the worst
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (33.01%)
One Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 89.85%
Since Fund Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception (8.32%)
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Nov. 12, 2007
iShares MSCI BRIC Index Fund | iShares MSCI BRIC Index Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
One Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 89.46% [2]
Since Fund Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception (8.58%) [2]
iShares MSCI BRIC Index Fund | iShares MSCI BRIC Index Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
One Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 58.61% [2]
Since Fund Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception (7.13%) [2]
iShares MSCI BRIC Index Fund
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock
Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 9.00%
Expense Exchange Traded Fund Commissions [Text] rr_ExpenseExchangeTradedFundCommissions
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock
Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock
Strategy Portfolio Concentration [Text] rr_StrategyPortfolioConcentration
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock
Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund's performance could trail that of other investments.
Risk Nondiversified Status [Text] rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund has performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund.
Performance Availability Phone [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) (toll free)
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress www.iShares.com
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate After-tax returns in the table above are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors who hold shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts ("IRAs").
Performance Table Explanation after Tax Higher rr_PerformanceTableExplanationAfterTaxHigher Fund returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares are calculated assuming that an investor has sufficient capital gains of the same character from other investments to offset any capital losses from the sale of Fund shares. As a result, Fund returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares may exceed Fund returns before taxes and/or returns after taxes on distributions.
iShares MSCI BRIC Index Fund | MSCI BRIC Index (Index returns do not reflect deductionsfor fees, expenses or taxes)
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
One Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 93.12%
Since Fund Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception (8.90%)
[1] The Fund's total return for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 was 4.63%.
[2] After-tax returns in the table above are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors who hold shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts ("IRAs"). Fund returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares are calculated assuming that an investor has sufficient capital gains of the same character from other investments to offset any capital losses from the sale of Fund shares. As a result, Fund returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares may exceed Fund returns before taxes and/or returns after taxes on distributions.