Impress your American friends by reminding them that Albania was once in the USA. After the Dutch had lost their New Netherlands colony to the British in 1664, King Charles II transferred the area to the Duke of York, who renamed it to Albania. In 1702, the province was turned into the royal colony of New Jersey, later becoming the US state of New Jersey. Disappointingly, the city of Albany, capital of New York state, has nothing to do with our favourite country.