De Bernieres' experiences from spending time living in Colombia will probably have influenced its setting. Geographically, references are made to the country's equatorial climate, its northern coastline on the Caribbean, western coastline on the Pacific Ocean and the mountain range of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Margarita, which is similar to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. The Colombian town of Valledupar, in the Cesar Department, and Medellín are commonly mentioned, and the fictional town of Chiriguana bears the same name as the Colombian Chiriguana.
De Bernieres' time spent living in Colombia probably shaped its environment, with allusions made to the nation's tropical climate, Caribbean and Pacific coastlines, and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Margarita mountains, similar to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. The Colombian towns of Valledupar and Medellín are frequently mentioned, as well as the fictional town of Chiriguana, which shares a name with its real-life counterpart in Colombia.