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Income Tax - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified | 0 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Netherlands statutory income taxes rate |  |  | 25.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate | 25.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate | 25.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate
Significant losses in countries subject to tax holidays |  |  |  | $ 57stm_SignificantLossesInCountriesSubjectToTaxHolidays | $ 320stm_SignificantLossesInCountriesSubjectToTaxHolidays
Valuation allowance adjustments |  |  | 26us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance | (83)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance | (197)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
Effect of the tax benefits on basic earnings per share |  |  | $ 0.07us-gaap_IncomeTaxHolidayIncomeTaxBenefitsPerShare | $ 0.02us-gaap_IncomeTaxHolidayIncomeTaxBenefitsPerShare | $ 0.04us-gaap_IncomeTaxHolidayIncomeTaxBenefitsPerShare
Maximum percentage of tax reduction from tax holidays |  |  | 100.00%stm_MaximumPercentageOfTaxReductionFromTaxHolidays | 100.00%stm_MaximumPercentageOfTaxReductionFromTaxHolidays | 100.00%stm_MaximumPercentageOfTaxReductionFromTaxHolidays
Income tax holiday expiration date |  |  | Dec. 31, 2022 |  |
Legal inflationary index |  |  |  |  | 0.53%stm_LegalInflationaryIndex
Deferred tax benefit (expense) recorded as component of other comprehensive income (loss) |  |  | 24us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansTax | (31)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansTax |
Cumulative amount of distributable earnings | 775us-gaap_RetainedEarningsUnappropriated |  | 775us-gaap_RetainedEarningsUnappropriated |  |
Unrecognized tax benefits | 238stm_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsAgainstExistingNetOperatingLosses | 229stm_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsAgainstExistingNetOperatingLosses | 238stm_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsAgainstExistingNetOperatingLosses | 229stm_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsAgainstExistingNetOperatingLosses |
Accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions | 27us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued |  | 27us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued |  |
Interest and penalties of unrecognized tax benefits | 32us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpense | 6us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpense |  |  |
Earliest Tax Year [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Open tax year |  |  | 1996 |  |
Latest Tax Year [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Open tax year |  |  | 2014 |  |
STE Deconsolidation [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Valuation allowance adjustments |  |  |  | $ 32us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance / us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis = stm_DeconsolidationMember |

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- Definition Percentage of domestic federal statutory tax rate applicable to pretax income (loss). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32687-109319 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 6.I) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34349781&loc=d3e330036-122817 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32698-109319 + Details
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- Definition Amount of the difference between reported income tax expense (benefit) and expected income tax expense (benefit) computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to increase (decrease) in the valuation allowance for deferred tax assets. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32687-109319 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32698-109319 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 20 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=37586315&loc=d3e32123-109318 + Details
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- Definition Amount of tax (expense) benefit, after reclassification adjustments, of (increase) decrease in accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss related to pension and other postretirement defined benefit plans. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36458714&loc=d3e640-108580 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 10A -Subparagraph (i-k) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36458714&loc=SL7669646-108580 + Details
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- Definition Amount accrued for interest on an underpayment of income taxes and penalties related to a tax position claimed or expected to be claimed in the tax return. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32718-109319 + Details
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