Headquarters: Ananthapuramu. A dry Rayalaseema plateau district lies along the Karnataka border. 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: Groundnut, drought-risk farming and Penna-basin water scarcity are themes; Ananthapuramu city is the headquarters. 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: Puttaparthi and Lepakshi belong to current Sri Sathya Sai district; older undivided Anantapur books may list them under Anantapur. 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: Ananthapuramu district is part of the inland Rayalaseema belt and has changed with formation of Sri Sathya Sai district. A dryland-groundnut association is broad, not proof of current largest acreage. A pre-2022 Anantapur district map includes places now elsewhere. For a present question, pair the current city-headquarters with a dated official district profile and map.
Active recall: Name the headquarters of Ananthapuramu; place it on the map; give one physical-geography anchor and explain the dated boundary trap above.