diff --git a/docs/source/index.rst b/docs/source/index.rst
index 1b39d692f..4a8aff1a3 100644
--- a/docs/source/index.rst
+++ b/docs/source/index.rst
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ Enable Documentation
   enable/toolkit_selection.rst
 
   kiva/overview.rst
+  kiva/backends.rst
   kiva/quickref.rst
   kiva/fonts.rst
 
diff --git a/docs/source/kiva/backends.rst b/docs/source/kiva/backends.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6679f80f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/source/kiva/backends.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+Kiva Backends
+=============
+
+GUI-capable
+-----------
+Each of these backends can be used to draw the contents of windows in a
+graphical user interface.
+
+kiva.agg/image
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+This is a wrapper of the popular Anti-Grain Geometry C++ library. It is the
+current default backend.
+
+cairo
+~~~~~
+A backend based on the `Cairo graphics library <https://www.cairographics.org/>`_.
+
+celiagg
+~~~~~~~
+A newer wrapper of Anti-Grain Geometry which is maintained outside of
+kiva/enable.
+
+gl
+~~
+OpenGL drawing. This backend is quite limited compared to others.
+
+qpainter
+~~~~~~~~
+Qt ``QPainter`` drawing. This is only availble with the Qt toolkit.
+
+quartz
+~~~~~~
+macOS Quartz graphics (ie `CGContext <https://developer.apple.com/documentation/coregraphics/cgcontext>`_).
+This is only available on macOS.
+
+File-only
+---------
+Each of these backends can be used to create an output file.
+
+pdf
+~~~
+A backend which writes PDF files.
+
+ps
+~~
+A backend which writes PostScript files.
+
+svg
+~~~
+A backend which writes SVG files.