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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/8293
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Basically, Alex, the country matters if you want it to matter. Your story is what matters, and if your story is about something _that pertains to the country_, then the country matters to the story. Think about it: In Mark Twain's _Life on the Mississippi,_ does the country matter to the story? Well, guess what. Even if you haven't read it, I'm guessing you can figure out that since the Mississippi is in the United States, the country matters to the story. How about _Doctor Zhivago?_ Well, I'm sure you know it's set in Russia. And I'm sure you know the setting is CRUCIAL to the story. Hm. Yes. I would say the country matters to the story. How about the movie _The Matrix?_ Well, gee, no. Can you even think what country that was set in? Nope, I bet you can't. It didn't really make one tiny bit of difference what country it was set in, because, after all, it wasn't really even set in a country. Well, okay, it sort of kind of was, at least in part, but not really, and the part of it that was kind of in a country didn't really emphasize the country, did it? Nah.

The country matters... _if you want it to matter._

By the way, most writers set most of their stories in their own country just because that's the easiest thing to do. It's perfectly natural, perfectly acceptable, and generally just fine. It's usually not a problem, and usually doesn't demand any particular thought on the part of the writer, because for the most part, unless you have a special, particular, compelling, plot-driven reason for _taking the story OUT of your own country_, why wouldn't you just leave it alone and let it live where you are giving it birth... in your own country?

Original score: 2