Although the name of the country of the trilogy is never directly disclosed, several reasons cause it to most resemble Colombia. De Bernières' 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 country in the trilogy does not have its name explicitly stated but shares similarities with Colombia due to De Bernières' time spent there. Geographical features mentioned include an equatorial climate, a Caribbean coastline, a Pacific Ocean coast, and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Margarita mountain range, which is comparable to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.