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In this study, a methodology is presented for elaborating an urban development indicator (UDI). This indicator was designed to describe the optimum conditions for the well-being of urban populations and to allow for efficient comparisons between urban environments — in this case, Abidjan, Côte d'lvoire and Montreal. Seven criteria were used to formalize the indicator, which were estimated from standardized indices and then ranked before joining them together to form one parameter. The composite nature of the UDI thus allowed the researchers to establish that the urban development in the city of Abidjan in 1995 could be characterized as average, but that Montreal Island had a strong state of urban development for the same period. Moreover. by comparing UDls for the two cities, the researchers revealed the need for additional health and educational facilities in Abidjan. The studies carried out on these two urban communities validate the relevance of UDI for quantifying and comparing rates of urban development. Such methods can be used by decision-makers to establish urban policies for sustainable urban development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]