Albany is the capital and oldest city in the U.S. state of New York, and the county seat of and most populous city in Albany County. It is located on the west bank of the Hudson River, about 10 miles south of its confluence with the Mohawk River. The city is the economic and cultural core of New York State's Capital District, a metropolitan area including the nearby cities and suburbs of Colonie, Troy, Schenectady, and Saratoga Springs.