Earnings Per Share (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
Earnings Per Share
Net income attributable to Amphenol Corporation shareholders (in dollars)	$ 140,942	$ 147,751	$ 267,505	$ 275,709
Basic weighted average common shares outstanding	161,511,550	171,194,474	162,186,707	173,170,408
Effect of dilutive stock options (in shares)	2,360,015	2,397,984	2,426,645	2,536,937
Dilutive weighted average common shares outstanding	163,871,565	173,592,458	164,613,352	175,707,345
Earnings per share attributable to Amphenol Corporation shareholders:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.87	$ 0.86	$ 1.65	$ 1.59
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.86	$ 0.85	$ 1.63	$ 1.57
Anti-dilutive stock options, excluded from the computations of earning per share	3,261,860	2,969,325	3,893,623	2,434,686