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Covering just 2,000 square meters, the island is crammed with corrugated iron shacks connected by a network of narrow passageways barely wide enough for two people to squeeze past each other, according to Islands magazine.

Almost every inch of space is occupied by homes or commercial activity.

Set in Africa’s largest lake and the world’s second-largest freshwater lake, Migingo is isolated and difficult to reach, making it an unlikely tourist destination.

The island has also long been caught in a territorial dispute between Kenya and Uganda.

Before the 1990s, Migingo lay beneath the waters of Lake Victoria. When the lake level dropped in 1991, two Kenyan fishermen laid claim to it, while Uganda argued that its own citizens had settled there earlier.

According to the UK newspaper Express, Dubai-based filmmaker Joe Hattab documented his boat journey to the island in a YouTube video about daily life there. In the footage, he said he saw Kenyans and Ugandans socializing together.

A young fisherman quoted in a 2018 AFP report said tensions sometimes flare up on the island, but people generally go on with their normal routines.

Despite the dispute, fishermen from both countries continue to head to Migingo because of the rich supply of Nile perch in nearby waters, a highly valuable freshwater fish.

Living on the island helps fishermen reduce travel time, save on fuel and connect more easily with buyers. Each morning, more than 100 boats reportedly arrive to unload fish for weighing, selling and distribution.

Residents also face dangers including piracy, such as theft of fish and boat engines, along with pressure from overfishing.

France 24 once described Migingo as the world’s most densely populated island, and it is widely regarded as one of the most crowded places globally.

A 2009 census recorded 131 residents, which would translate to a population density of around 65,500 people per square kilometer, among the highest in the world.

Some reports, however, have estimated the number of people there at as many as 500, though the frequent movement of short-term residents makes an exact count difficult.

Migingo is also said to have several bars, a hair salon and a small clinic where a nurse handles minor health issues.

For serious medical treatment, however, residents must travel to the Kenyan mainland. The island lacks basic infrastructure such as running water and sewage systems, making daily life extremely challenging despite its importance to the local fishing economy, according to Express.