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Average number of employees - Summary of average number of employees (Detail) - Employee | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 46,007 | 47,458 | 46,807
Investment in equity accounted units [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 3,139 | 3,129 | 3,108
Australia and New Zealand [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 19,814 | 19,595 | 19,643
Australia and New Zealand [Member] | Investment in equity accounted units [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 619 | 578 | 602
Canada [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 11,576 | 10,620 | 10,256
Canada [Member] | Investment in equity accounted units [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 0 | 0 | 0
UK [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 190 | 287 | 309
UK [Member] | Investment in equity accounted units [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 0 | 0 | 0
Europe [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 959 | 1,418 | 1,505
Europe [Member] | Investment in equity accounted units [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 0 | 0 | 0
Africa [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 4,371 | 4,758 | 4,730
Africa [Member] | Investment in equity accounted units [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 1,250 | 1,262 | 1,269
United States of America [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 3,400 | 3,792 | 3,429
United States of America [Member] | Investment in equity accounted units [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 0 | 0 | 0
Mongolia [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 3,215 | 2,886 | 2,861
Mongolia [Member] | Investment in equity accounted units [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 0 | 0 | 0
Indonesia [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 0 | 1,615 | 1,642
Indonesia [Member] | Investment in equity accounted units [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 0 | 0 | 0
South America [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 1,513 | 1,499 | 1,434
South America [Member] | Investment in equity accounted units [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 1,270 | 1,289 | 1,237
India [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 272 | 288 | 310
India [Member] | Investment in equity accounted units [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 0 | 0 | 0
Singapore [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 430 | 422 | 434
Singapore [Member] | Investment in equity accounted units [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 0 | 0 | 0
Other countries [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 267 | 278 | 254
Other countries [Member] | Investment in equity accounted units [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 0 | 0 | 0
Subsidiaries And Joint Operations [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 42,868 | 44,329 | 43,699
Subsidiaries And Joint Operations [Member] | Australia and New Zealand [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 19,195 | 19,017 | 19,041
Subsidiaries And Joint Operations [Member] | Canada [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 11,576 | 10,620 | 10,256
Subsidiaries And Joint Operations [Member] | UK [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 190 | 287 | 309
Subsidiaries And Joint Operations [Member] | Europe [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 959 | 1,418 | 1,505
Subsidiaries And Joint Operations [Member] | Africa [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 3,121 | 3,496 | 3,461
Subsidiaries And Joint Operations [Member] | United States of America [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 3,400 | 3,792 | 3,429
Subsidiaries And Joint Operations [Member] | Mongolia [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 3,215 | 2,886 | 2,861
Subsidiaries And Joint Operations [Member] | Indonesia [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 0 | 1,615 | 1,642
Subsidiaries And Joint Operations [Member] | South America [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 243 | 210 | 197
Subsidiaries And Joint Operations [Member] | India [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 272 | 288 | 310
Subsidiaries And Joint Operations [Member] | Singapore [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 430 | 422 | 434
Subsidiaries And Joint Operations [Member] | Other countries [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of average number of employees [Line Items] |  |  |
Average number of employees | 267 | 278 | 254

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