2.2.0.25truefalse41504 - Disclosure - Note 15. Acquisitions, Investments and Disposals (Disposals Narrative) (Details)truefalsefalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse11/1/2010 - 1/31/2011
USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
$Duration_11_1_2010_To_1_31_2011http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000104169duration2010-11-01T00:00:002011-01-31T00:00:00Unit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit16Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/31/2010
USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
$As_Of_1_31_2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000104169instant2010-01-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00Unit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit16Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit15Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0USDUSD$3falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis} : Gazely Limited [Member]
2/1/2008 - 1/31/2009
USD ($)
$Duration_2_1_2008_To_1_31_200933http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000104169duration2008-02-01T00:00:002009-01-31T00:00:00falsefalseGazely Limited [Member]us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiwmt_GazelyLimitedMemberus-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxisexplicitMemberUnit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$4falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis} : The Seiyu Ltd [Member]
2/1/2009 - 1/31/2010
USD ($)
$Duration_2_1_2009_To_1_31_2010224http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000104169duration2009-02-01T00:00:002010-01-31T00:00:00falsefalseThe Seiyu Ltd [Member]us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiwmt_SeiyuLtdMemberus-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxisexplicitMemberUnit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$5falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis} : The Seiyu Ltd [Member]
2/1/2008 - 1/31/2009
USD ($)
$Duration_2_1_2008_To_1_31_200934http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000104169duration2008-02-01T00:00:002009-01-31T00:00:00falsefalseThe Seiyu Ltd [Member]us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiwmt_SeiyuLtdMemberus-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxisexplicitMemberUnit15Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0Unit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$2false0wmt_NumberOfStoresToBeDivestedByParentwmtfalsenadurationNumber of stores to be divested by parentfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5truefalsefalse2323falsefalsefalsetruefalseOtherxbrli:integerItemTypeintegerNumber of stores to be divested by parentNo authoritative reference available.falsefalse3false0wmt_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitRelatedToWorthlessStockDeductionFromDispositionOfGermanOperationswmtfalsecreditinstantUnrecognized Tax Benefit Related To Worthless Stock Deduction From Disposition Of German Operationsfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse17000000001700000000falsetruefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryUnrecognized Tax Benefit Related To Worthless Stock Deduction From Disposition Of German OperationsNo authoritative reference available.falsefalse4false0us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationTaxExpenseBenefitFromProvisionForGainLossOnDisposalus-gaaptruecreditdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse10000000001000000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryTax benefit from provision recognizing a loss for initial, or subsequent, write-down to fair value (less cost to sell) of a of a disposal group that is classified as a component of the entity, which remains unsold as of the reporting date. May include a tax on the (gain) for the recognition of a subsequent increase in fair value (less cost to sell), but not in excess of the cumulative loss previously recognized through write-downs.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 144
-Paragraph 43
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 144
-Paragraph 47
-Subparagraph b
falsefalse5false0us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationGainLossOnDisposalOfDiscontinuedOperationNetOfTaxus-gaaptruecreditdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse212000000212000000falsetruefalsetruefalse4truefalsefalse7900000079000000falsetruefalsetruefalse5truefalsefalse122000000122000000falsetruefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryGain (loss) after tax expense (benefit), not previously recognized and resulting from the sale of a business component, which is recognized at the date of sale. A gain (loss) reflects the amount by which the consideration received exceeds (is exceeded by) the net carrying amount (reflecting previous provisions for loss on disposal, if any) of the disposal group.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 144
-Paragraph 43
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 144
-Paragraph 47
-Subparagraph b
falsefalse54Note 15. Acquisitions, Investments and Disposals (Disposals Narrative) (Details) (USD $)NoRoundingUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruetrue