The United States first established a consular presence in Malta in 1796, when the island was
under the rule of the
Order of St. John. The embassy was originally located in the capital
Valletta, but it eventually moved to
Sliema. In the 1970s, In 2011, the embassy was moved once again to a new building in
Ta' Qali National Park in
Attard. The embassy's website still lists its location as "Valletta". The Floriana embassy closed on 1 July 2011, and the new building opened on 5 July 2011 and was officially inaugurated on 15 July. It was built on of land, on the site of the former election counting hall which was purchased from the Government of Malta in 2006 for €14.6 million. Construction cost €88.5 million, and more than 800 workers were involved in the works. Local residents in Attard have complained of drainage problems coming from the American Embassy, which is a possible health problem in the area that adds to the flooding accumulation. The embassy is found next to an area designated as a commercial zone. The embassy employs over 125 people, some American and some Maltese. ==See also==