Saltpans are a characteristic feature of the landscape in central northern Namibia, of which the largest and most prominent is the Etosha Pan. Like all these depressions, the Etosha Pan is usually dry and is only flooded in the rainy season by water flowing down the Ekuma River. The pan and the surrounding region form the Etosha National Park which covers an area of 22,270 km² and is therefore one of the largest National Parks world-wide. Due to the abundance of wildlife, Etosha is the premier tourist attraction in Namibia. Nowadays, the area seems to be a pristine wilderness, untouched by any human civilization. However, in the past, this region was an important settlement area for the Hai//om people, a hunter-gatherer group generally categorized as one of the "Bushman" or San groups of Namibia.