Pathanamthitta District (IPA: [pɐt̪ːɐnɐn̪d̪iʈːɐ]), is one of the 14 districts in the Indian state of Kerala. The district headquarters is in the town of Pathanamthitta. There are four municipalities in Pathanamthitta: Adoor, Pandalam, Pathanamthitta and Thiruvalla. According to the 2011 Census of India, the population was 1,197,412, making it the third least populous district in Kerala (out of 14), after Wayanad and Idukki.[3] Pathanamthitta has been declared the first polio-free district in India.[4] The district is 10.03% urbanised.[5] Pathanamthitta is one of the richest districts in India with just 1.17% poverty as of 2013, which places the district among top 5 districts in India with least poverty.[6] Etymology The district's name is a combination of two Malayalam words, pathanam and thitta, which together mean 'array of houses on the river side'.[7] The district capital is located on the banks of the river Achankovil.