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v2.4.1.9

Property, Plant and Equipment - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |
Net Cost of Assets under capital leases | $ 1stm_NetCostOfAssetsUnderCapitalLeases | $ 1stm_NetCostOfAssetsUnderCapitalLeases |
Depreciation charge | 750us-gaap_Depreciation | 838us-gaap_Depreciation | 930us-gaap_Depreciation
Capital investment funding |  | 3stm_CapitalInvestmentFunding | 1stm_CapitalInvestmentFunding
Reduction in depreciation charges due to public funding | 4stm_ReductionInDepreciationChargesDueToPublicFunding | 6stm_ReductionInDepreciationChargesDueToPublicFunding | 10stm_ReductionInDepreciationChargesDueToPublicFunding
Cash proceeds from sale of equipment | 9us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfMachineryAndEquipment | 12us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfMachineryAndEquipment | 16us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfMachineryAndEquipment
Assets held for sale | 31us-gaap_AssetsOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperation |  |
Maximum [Member] |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |
Capital investment funding | $ 1stm_CapitalInvestmentFunding / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember |  |

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- Definition Capital investment funding. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | stm_CapitalInvestmentFunding
Namespace Prefix: | stm_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Net Cost Of Assets Under Capital Leases + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | stm_NetCostOfAssetsUnderCapitalLeases
Namespace Prefix: | stm_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Reduction in depreciation charges due to Public funding. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | stm_ReductionInDepreciationChargesDueToPublicFunding
Namespace Prefix: | stm_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Amount classified as assets attributable to disposal group held for sale or disposed of. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6892542&loc=d3e1107-107759 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AssetsOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperation
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition The amount of expense recognized in the current period that reflects the allocation of the cost of tangible assets over the assets' useful lives. Includes production and non-production related depreciation. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_Depreciation
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition The cash inflow from sale of machinery and equipment. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Investing Activities -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 12 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3179-108585 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfMachineryAndEquipment
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |