Upstate New York
The counties that comprise the Region are located in New York, and include the city of Colonie and Albany County. This area is generally defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget as the Capital District or Capital Region and includes the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). Often the other counties of the Albany-Schenectady-Amsterdam Combined Statistical Area and Greene County are included, especially for economic and demographic compilations and regional planning. These counties are predominantly urban and suburban, and are dominated by similar industries, similar in demographic makeup, and economically interconnected.
Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area
New York’s Capital District, also known as the Capital Region, is a region in upstate New York that generally refers to the four counties surrounding Albany, the capital of the state: Albany County, Schenectady County, Rensselaer County, and Saratoga County. Often the other counties of the Albany-Schenectady-Amsterdam Combined Statistical Area and Greene County are included, especially for economic and demographic compilations and regional planning.
The Capital District is notable for many historical and industrial events. The Battle of Saratoga and the Albany Plan of Union are two historical events from before American independence which are now considered of national and sometimes also of international importance. Many multinational corporations were founded in the Capital District including New York Central Railroad, American Express, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, and International Paper.
The Capital District was first settled by the Dutch in the early 17th century and came under British control in 1664. Albany has been the permanent capital of the state of New York since 1797.