This paper summarizes the properties of the surface backscattering coefficient as a function of roughness, incidence angle, frequency and polarization state. Results are presented in the form of like- and cross-polarized backscattering coefficient curves versus the incidence angle and the polarization state for different values of the surface roughness parameters and frequency. It is seen that there is a gradual transition from the standard small perturbation scattering model into the Kirchhoff scattering model as frequency increases. It is also shown that in the intermediate frequency region neither the small perturbation nor the Kirchhoff model is applicable. The maximum value of the polarized backscattering coefficient occurs at VV polarization and its two minimum values occur at zero ellipticity and orientation angles between 0° and 45° and between 135° and 180°. The cross-polarized scattering coefficient has two maximum values which occur in the same polarization state regions as the minima of the polarized coefficients.