This Letter presents preliminary observations made with the ERS-1 wind scatterometer over land surfaces. A global backscattering coefficient image, synthesized from the original raw data indicates a strong correlation between the radar signal and the distribution of the main vegetation types throughout the world. In particular, tropical vegetation formations are well identified. The effects of angular and multitemporal variations on the backscattering coefficient σ0are shown for different terrestrial surfaces. Illustrations are given for the African continent which presents numerous vegetation types along a north-south latitudinal gradient. Results indicate the strong capability of the ERS-1 scatterometer to discriminate and monitor vegetation change at a global scale.