This study examines the distribution and differentiation of natural landscapes in the mountainous areas of the Greater Caucasus within Azerbaijan. The analysis integrates landscape, cartographic, comparative-geographical, field and GIS-based approaches with climatic data, satellite imagery and digital elevation models. The results show that altitudinal zonation is the principal regularity of landscape distribution, modified by slope aspect, relief, geological-lithological conditions, moisture regime and west–east climatic gradients. The landscape sequence extends from low-mountain and mountain-steppe complexes through mountain forests, subalpine and alpine meadows to subnival and nival landscapes. Meteorological data confirm pronounced vertical climatic differentiation: mean February temperature reaches −7.9°C at Gyriz, whereas the highest summer value is 26.4°C at Shabran. Landscape-belt boundaries vary between northern and southern slopes and between the humid western and increasingly arid eastern sectors. The study demonstrates that integrating field observations with GIS, satellite imagery and digital elevation models improves the identification of landscape boundaries, particularly in inaccessible high-mountain areas.

Keywords: Greater Caucasus, natural landscapes, altitudinal zonation, landscape differentiation, slope aspect, GIS, Azerbaijan

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