Albany is the capital city of the US state of New York, the county seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District Albany was permanently settled in 1614, officially chartered as a city in 1686, and became the capital of New York in 1797. It is the oldest surviving settlement from the original Thirteen Colonies. Albany has been a center of both state government and higher education for over a century, and much of the rest of its economy has been dependent on health care. More recently, the city has experienced growth in the nanotechnology sector. Albany is a two-time All-America City Award winner.