Among many cultures, it is believed that only a son can continue the family name and inherit wealth. This leads to an inherent preference for a male child over a female one. In 2005, India conducted a census among its states (though not the Union Territories) for the preference of the gender of a couple’s children. Not a single state had an overall preference for daughters over sons; Meghalaya ranked the best in this census with a difference of only about 2.9%.
