percent in Asia Pacific, and 5.2 percent in the United States. Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) organic local-currency sales declined 1.0 percent, impacted by a weak economy in Western Europe. Latin America/Canada sales growth was broad-based, with all six of our business segments generating positive organic local-currency sales growth, led by Health Care; Safety, Security and Protection Services; Consumer and Office; and Electro and Communications. Organic local-currency sales growth increased 11 percent in Brazil, in the face of a still-recovering economy, and Mexico grew nearly 10 percent. In Asia Pacific, Japan declined year-on-year, reflecting continued challenging economic conditions. Organic local-currency sales in the rest of Asia Pacific grew nearly 10 percent, with China up over 16 percent. Organic local-currency sales growth in the United States was led by Consumer and Office.

 

For total year 2012, net income attributable to 3M was $4.444 billion, or $6.32 per diluted share, compared to $4.283 billion, or $5.96 per diluted share, in 2011, an increase of 6.0 percent on a per diluted share basis. Sales totaled $29.9 billion, an increase of 1.0 percent from 2011. Organic local-currency sales grew 2.6 percent, acquisitions added 0.8 percent to sales and currency effects reduced sales by 2.4 percent year-on-year. From a business segment perspective, organic local-currency sales growth was 4.7 percent in Health Care, 4.5 percent in Industrial and Transportation, 3.8 percent in Consumer and Office, and 2.2 percent in Safety, Security and Protection Services. Local-currency sales declined 0.8 percent in Electro and Communications and 2.4 percent in Display and Graphics. From a geographic area perspective, 2012 organic local-currency sales growth was 10.9 percent in Latin America/Canada, 4.2 percent in the United States, and 0.1 percent in Asia Pacific. Asia Pacific was impacted by a soft global consumer electronics industry. EMEA organic local-currency sales declined 0.6 percent, impacted by a weak economy in Western Europe.

 

Operating income in 2012 was 21.7 percent of sales, compared to 20.9 percent of sales in 2011, an improvement of 0.8 percentage points. The primary benefit (as discussed in the Results of Operations section) related to the combination of selling price increases and raw material cost decreases. Currency effects reduced diluted earnings per share by an estimated 15 cents. Net insurance recoveries in 2012 related to the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan increased earnings by approximately 4 cents per diluted share. In 2011, the impact of natural disasters, net of insurance recoveries, reduced earnings by approximately 6 cents per diluted share (discussed further below). Early retirement/restructuring costs for 2012 totaled approximately 8 cents per diluted share, which included the first quarter 2012 charge of approximately 3 cents per diluted share related to a voluntary early retirement program in the United States.

 

The most significant non-operating items that impacted earnings were diluted shares outstanding and income taxes. Average diluted shares outstanding declined 2.2 percent to 703.3 million,