Headquarters: Nellore. A southern coastal district follows the Penna corridor toward the Bay of Bengal. Locate this district first in relation to the coast, the Godavari or Krishna corridors, the Eastern Ghats or the Rayalaseema plateau. These physical belts often reveal why a crop, port, reservoir or pilgrimage place appears in a district question. Read the number on the accompanying current-boundary map before memorising a headquarters. A town name on a pre-2022 map can remain correct geographically but lead to the wrong present-district option.
Exam anchor: Somasila, Kandaleru and Krishnapatnam provide reservoir, water-transfer and port associations respectively. This is a place-to-theme association, not a claim that every landmark in the surrounding region belongs inside the district. Keep a separate column for a river or landscape, a site or activity, and the administrative headquarters. In a map question, begin at the state outline, narrow to the regional belt, and only then select the district polygon. The order is more dependable than recognising a familiar town name in isolation.
Boundary and date caution: Tirupati district was carved from the older Nellore-Chittoor geography; always check whether a site belongs to present Nellore. District-level population, area, output and mandal totals are especially sensitive to reorganisation. An exact figure should carry its reference year and boundary vintage; this book does not silently attach an old census total to a new polygon. If the stem quotes an older notification, answer for that date. If it asks for the current district, use the 2026 map and official district portal.
Worked example: Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore is a southern coastal district whose name is often shortened to Nellore. A question about Pulicat or the Penna corridor may use neighbouring labels, so locate the actual point rather than guessing from the broad coast. The full official district name and the headquarters are administrative facts; wetland and river systems can cross jurisdictional lines.
Active recall: Name the headquarters of Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore; place it on the map; give one physical-geography anchor and explain the dated boundary trap above.