The most populous island in the world. Mgingo is the most densely populated island in the worldA stranger has no right to stay here for more than a day

Mgingo Island is located on Lake Victoria in Africa. Its area is about 1.8 thousand square meters. m, and 131 people live in shacks on it. These people organized a "senatorial republic", live by fishing and do not allow outsiders into their community. The island is disputed territory between Kenya and Uganda.

Mgingo Island was settled only in 1991. Then two Kenyan fishermen Dalmas Tembo and Dorj Kibebe ventured to land on it. Before going to Mgingo, they performed a ritual of exorcism - among the Africans living around Lake Victoria, there was a belief that the island was the home of the evil spirit Kalele. The old sorcerer banished Kalele. Tembo later admitted that for this ceremony they had to give 300 kg of fish.

After that, about 60 Africans from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania joined the two brave fishermen. The motive for settling on Mgingo was not only the possibility of a good catch, but also the creation of their own "state", a commune, where there would be no inequality and evil. By 2009, the population of Mgingo reached 131 people, and after that the "honorary senators", the first settlers of Tembo and Kibebe, decided not to accept anyone else into the commune.

The main catch here is Nile perch. In a week, a family can earn up to $200-250 - this is the average earnings of Africans in neighboring countries for 2-3 months.

The fact that the island is disputed between Kenya and Uganda allows the “state” of Mgingo to maintain its independence - neither country can include it in its territory, and therefore they turn a blind eye to these fishermen.

Over the past twenty years, both countries have entered into armed conflicts 9 times over Mgingo. At first, the coast guards of both Kenya and Uganda broke fishermen's boats, tore their nets, and even shot six people. But then both countries came to an agreement that the commune should pay tax to both.

As a result, the tax that goes to both Kenya and Uganda is 25% of the earnings of fishermen. Another 10% of earnings go to the maintenance of the apparatus and self-defense forces of the commune. That is, the inhabitants of Mgingo are forced to pay for their freedom with 60 percent of what they earn. But even the remaining 40% of earnings help them live many times better than their neighbors on Lake Victoria.

On this island there are five bars, a beauty salon, a pharmacy, as well as several hotels and four brothels - men are busy catching fish, and their wives and relatives earn extra money with their bodies. According to the rules of the commune of Mgingo, a stranger cannot stay here for more than a day.

The commune is ruled for life by two "honorary senators" Tembo and Kibebe - its founding fathers, as well as five more elected senators (only men over 30 can become them). Decisions in the seven senators are taken by a simple majority.

The maximum punishment on the island is expulsion from it, a simple punishment - whipping with straw whips. During the twenty years of the existence of the "state", six people were expelled from it, all for theft.

Next to Mgingo, 200 meters away, there is another island - Usingo. It is still uninhabited, despite the terrible crowding in the commune: it is believed that Usingo also lives evil spirit named Took. The evil spirit Kalele, expelled from Mgingo, also allegedly moved there. During all this time, the inhabitants of the commune could not find a sorcerer who would be able to overcome two powerful evil spirits at once. Usingo is also controversial between Kenya and Uganda, but soldiers from the armies of both countries refuse to settle on it for the same reason - because of the evil spirits living on it. There are only a few makeshift structures on Usingo where First World biologists occasionally stop to study Lake Victoria and its inhabitants.

In Africa, on Lake Victoria, there is a small Migingo islet, which is most populous island in the world. Here, on an area of 1800 m², 131 people live, who formed a commune. Because island is a disputed territory between Uganda and Kenya, and while it does not belong to anyone, the "communards" announced island Senate Republic and no one else is allowed into their community.

Until 1991, the island of Migingo was empty, as there was a belief among the locals that the evil spirit Kalele lives on it. And then there were two fishermen from Kenya, Dorj Kibebe and Dalmas Tembo, who paid the old sorcerer well for the rite of expelling evil spirits. These brave fishermen became the first settlers on the island.

Then residents of Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda began to join them. Fishing was good off the coast of the island and people began to earn $ 250 a week, which is three months' earnings of an African in neighboring countries. Gradually, the idea matured to create their own state, where there would be no inequality and evil. When the population of Migingo reached 131 in 2009, honorary pioneer senators Kibebe and Timbo decided to end the admission to the commune.

Over the past 20 years, over the island of Migingo between Kenya and Uganda, armed conflicts have occurred nine times. At the same time, the military of both countries tore the nets and broke the fishermen's boats, and even killed six people. After another clash over the island, the authorities of the two countries came to an agreement on the payment by the commune of a tax of 25% to each country. Now half of the income of the population of the island is deducted from Kenya and Uganda. Another 10% is spent on the maintenance of the commune apparatus and on the self-defense forces. But even what remains for the fishermen allows them to live much better than their neighbors on the lake.

The commune is ruled by its founders, Kibebe and Tembo, along with five elected senators, who can become any male of the commune over 30 years old. Any stranger can stay on the island for no more than a day. There are several hotels, a pharmacy, a beauty salon, five bars and four brothels. So that women are also in business while their husbands are fishing.

There is no prison on the island, and residents who violate the rules of the commune are punished with public flogging. The most severe punishment is expulsion from the island, and in all the time it was applied six times - for theft.

Next to Migingo, just 200 meters away, there are more than large island Usingo. It is empty according to the same religious beliefs, - locals they believe that the evil spirit Tuk lives on it, and in addition, the spirit of Kalele, expelled from Migingo, moved there. The inhabitants of the commune cannot yet find a strong sorcerer who could expel a couple of evil spirits from such a tasty territory.

Mgingo Island with an area of 1.8 thousand square meters. m is located in Africa on Lake Victoria. 131 people live in huts here. The inhabitants of the island organized the so-called "Senate Republic", they live by fishing, and their society is closed to strangers. The rights to the territory of Mgingo are disputed between Uganda and.

This area began to be populated in 1991. Two fishermen from Kenya, Dalmas Tembo and George Kibebe, decided to live here, having previously carried out a special rite of expelling the evil spirit Kalele. The ritual, conducted by an old shaman, cost the men 300 kg of fish.

Then, in order to create a kind of their own state, 60 more Africans from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania joined the two fishermen. When the number of people living on the island reached 131 in 2009, the "honorary senators" Tembo and Kibebe decided not to accept anyone else into the commune.

Catching perch in the coastal waters of the Nile, the family has a profit of 200-250 dollars a week. For comparison, Africans in neighboring countries earn the same amount within 2-3 months.

After that, about 60 Africans from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania joined the two brave fishermen. One of their motives for settling on Mgingo was not only the possibility of a good catch, but also the creation of their own “state”, a commune, where there would be no inequality and evil. By 2009, the population of Mgingo reached 131 people, and after that the "honorary senators", the first settlers of Tembo and Kibebe, decided not to accept anyone else into the commune.

The main catch here is the Nile perch, a family can earn up to 200-250 dollars in a week - this is the average earnings of Africans in 2-3 months in neighboring countries.

The fact that the island is disputed between Kenya and Uganda allows the “state” of Mgingo to maintain independence - neither country can include it in its territory, and therefore they turn a blind eye to these fishermen. Over the past twenty years, both countries have entered into armed conflicts 9 times over Mgingo. At first, the coast guards of both Kenya and Uganda broke fishermen's boats, tore their nets and even shot 6 people. But then both countries came to an agreement that the commune should pay tax to both. As a result, the tax that goes to both Kenya and Uganda is about 25% of the earnings of fishermen for both. Another 10% of earnings go to the maintenance of the apparatus and self-defense forces of the commune. That is, the inhabitants of Mgingo are forced to pay 60% of what they earn for their freedom. But even the remaining 40% of their earnings help them live a much better life than the rest of their neighbors on Lake Victoria.

On this island there are five bars, a beauty salon, a pharmacy, as well as several hotels and four brothels - the men are busy fishing, and their wives and relatives earn extra money with their bodies. According to the rules of the commune of Mgingo, a stranger cannot stay here for more than a day.

The commune is run for life by two "honorary senators" Tembo and Kibebe - its founding fathers, as well as five more elected senators (only men over 30 can become them). Decisions in the seven senators are taken by a simple majority. The maximum punishment on the island is expulsion from it, a simple punishment - whipping with straw whips. In the twenty years of the existence of the “state”, six people were expelled from it, all of them for theft.

Next to Mgingo, 200 meters away, there is another island - Usingo. It is still uninhabited, despite the terrible crowding in the "commune": it is believed that an evil spirit named Tuk also lives on Usingo. The evil spirit Kalele, expelled from Mgingo, also allegedly moved there. The inhabitants of the "commune" all this time could not find a strong sorcerer who would be able to overcome two powerful evil spirits at once. Usingo is also controversial between Kenya and Uganda, but soldiers from the armies of both countries refuse to settle on it for the same reason - because of the evil spirits living on it. There are only a few makeshift structures on Usingo where First World biologists occasionally stop to study Lake Victoria and its inhabitants.