This research focuses on the location of the settlements of the Republic of Crimea by absolute altitudes. The study is relevant as it considers an elevation of a settlement above sea level which is known to be one of the main factors characterizing the degree of national economy development and well-being. The construction conditions and settlements’ functioning are greatly affected by the natural conditions, and accessibility of the settlements significantly decreases economic expenses. The latest geo-informational methods of study such as (Quantum GIS Desktop) and the data provided by the satellite radar surveying (SRTM) helped to analyse the range of the altitudes, within which the settlements of the Republic of Crimea had been set up. It was determined that urban settlements were formed within the range of altitudes between -7 and 553 m (amplitude – 560 m), but rural ones – between -6 and 1216 (amplitude – 1222 m). Also the distribution of the settlements by landscapes has also been analysed. There are 4 landscape-levels (in increasing average absolute altitudes) – hydromorphic, flat interfluve, low mountain and middle mountain levels on the territory of the Crimean peninsula. It is defined that 346 settlements are located in hydromorphic level, 296 settlements – in flat interfluve level, 342 – in low mountain level and 63 – in the middle mountain level. The most developed and populated levels on the territory of the Republic of Crimea turn out to be hydromorphic and low mountain levels due to the favourable natural conditions, with the least developed region being middle mountain landscape level.

This research deals with the theoretical principles of landscape planning. The possibility for applying geographical information systems (GIS) to carry out landscape planning on different levels has been studied. Geographical informational systems (GIS) can be used on every stage of planning work and they provide processing and analyzing a great amount of spatial data about natural components, submission and dissemination of the results by plotting the maps, their typing as well as distributing over on-line resources. The chart of landscape planning with its application has been worked out. The main stages of the research include: spade-work\ preliminary (data collection and information storage, alongside with cartographic, informational, statistical data), examining the territory and its environment, considering the landscape features of the territory. Geographic information system data can help to make up landscape planning of the territory of Simferopol region and the town of Simferopol of the Republic of the Crimea. During this stage of landscape planning a set of maps i.e. maps of natural and economic landscape subsystems, adverse natural processes, ecological network, landscape and ecological restrictions has been plotted. By reference to all maps for the territory of Simferopol region, the map for landscape planning as well as functional zoning of territory have been worked out. According to the received data, measures against adverse processes have been planned.

The goal is, based on modern methods of geoinformatics and geomatics, to assess the landscapes of the Crimean Peninsula for tourism using a set of indicators characterizing the expressiveness of the geomorphological basis: the absolute height, steepness of the slopes, the depth of the relief and the density of the dissection of the relief. Organization and research methods: assessment of the landscapes of the Crimean Peninsula by a set of indicators characterizing the expressiveness of the geomorphological basis was carried out using the Quantum GIS (QGIS) software package by creating a series of maps reflecting the geomorphological characteristics of the relief and their subsequent overlay analysis for each of the landscapes of the Crimean Peninsula. To create maps and obtain indicator values, geoinformation, cartographic, and cartometric research methods were used. The data obtained for each landscape were further processed by statistical methods using the statistical calculation environment R and the Statistica 10 program. Results: the values of the absolute height, slope steepness, depth of the dismemberment of the relief and the density of the dissection of the relief were calculated for each landscape of the Crimean Peninsula. In addition, by implementing statistical methods, zoning of landscapes of the Crimean Peninsula was carried out using a set of indicators characterizing the expressiveness of the geomorphological basis.

In geomorphology, slopes are defined as any kind of irregularities of vertical and subhorizontal surface. A slope is an inclined part of the earth’s surface, which steepness is sufficient to determine further development of relief as a single geomorphological complex over its entire surface. There were given the being heterogeneous geomorphologic structures, slopes and their azonal landscapes and the reasons for peculiarities of the ecological environment, the link of some rare species to specific relief microforms have. The study of this phenomenon is important for geomorphology, paleogeography, phytocenology, elaboration of measures for protecting rare species (relics, endemics, relic endemics).