The first measurement of inclusive Z → τ^+ τ^− production in pp collisions at the LHC is presented, in the final states μ + hadrons, e + hadrons, e + μ, and μ + μ. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 36 pb^(−1) collected with the CMS detector. The measured cross section is σ (pp → ZX) × B (Z → τ^+ τ^−) = 1.00 ± 0.05(stat.) ± 0.08(syst.) ± 0.04(lumi.)nb, which is in good agreement with the next-to-next-to-leading order QCD prediction and improves on previous measurements in the Z → e^+e^− and μ^+ μ^− channels. The reconstruction efficiency for hadronic τ decays is determined with a precision of 7%
