Dorado is a town and municipality on the northern coast of Puerto Rico, 15 miles (24 km) west of San Juan and is located in the northern region of the island, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, north of Toa Alta, east of Vega Alta, and west of Toa Baja. Dorado is subdivided into five barrios and Dorado Pueblo. It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area. During the early 18th century, there were already mentions of a "Sitio de Dorado" in some San Juan registers. Since the beginning of the Spanish colonial period and until 1831, Dorado existed as a barrio of the town of Toa Baja. Over several years, the ward grew and established its own town center called the "new pueblo" to differentiate itself from Toa Baja, which became known as the "old pueblo." Over several years, the barrios that currently make up Dorado grew and the people of the "new pueblo" wanted to separate themselves from Toa Baja.