Albany serves as the county seat of Albany County, New York, United States. It is the capital of the state of New York and is located slightly south of the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers confluence. Albany is one of the cities that form the historic Capital District of the United States including other cities such as Troy, Schenectady and Saratoga Springs.

Albany was built on the site of the Dutch Fort Orange including its surrounding community of Beverwyck. The English managed to acquire the site from Dutch rule in 1664 and renamed the site Albany in honor of their Duke, James II. In 1686, Thomas Dongan issued a document granting the city of Albany official charter. This makes Albany the second oldest city after New Amsterdam in terms of date of incorporation.

Albany is home to an estimated population of 94,172 as of July 2007. The city is known for having a major port, taking advantage of its location at the Hudson River. Albany is known as a leader in nanotechnology and is even included in the 19-county region in eastern New York branded as "Tech Valley". Albany is a highly artistic community that houses many music centers such as the Palace Theater, The Egg, The Times Union Center and the Pepsi Arena.