In the country's most populous(人口稠密的) city, Auckland, 5,149 Asian women gave birth, more than double the number of 15 years ago, the New Zealand Herald reported.

    Last year was the first year in the city when more Asian women gave birth than indigenous Maori women, who registered 5,015 births.

    Citing figures from the government statistics agency, Statistics New Zealand, the report said the majority of women nationwide who gave birth last year were still of European descent, accounting for 43,965 of last year's 63,897 births.

    But more women of other ethnic backgrounds were also becoming mothers, including those from the Middle East, Latin America and Africa.

    Auckland University head of obstetrics and gynaecology, Professor Lesley McCowan, said the increase reflected New Zealand is an increasingly multicultural society.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)