[World-Building] Hypothetical insular banana republic - why insular?

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Phantasm

This would be on the north end of Lake Vic (head-waters of the Nile River, btw), with two much larger nations bordering it (and each other).

And travel on Lake Victoria is fairly easy, so you need some reason why those larger nations don't want the territory. Aha, you could use a Bir Tawil situation, to keep them off, and have the population of the area be people who are seeking refuge from the various conflicts in the area.