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Retrieval of biophysical parameterizations of arid and semi-arid vegetation is important for wide range of applications, from desertification assessments through net primary production for grazing management, to assessment of fire hazards. However, as substantial part of the Earth terrain is hilly and mountainous there is a need to understand the effect of topography on the radar backscattering. For shrubs, herbaceous vegetation and soil such backscatter was found to decrease non-linearly with angle of incidence. Furthermore, it was found that the effect of green leave biomass at the top of the canopy is most pronounced at angles larger than 35 degrees.