The main characteristics of households in the city of Abidjan, Ivory Coast, are examined using data from a survey undertaken in 1978 and 1979. The authors note that there is a high degree of social stratification and that household characteristics and size vary significantly by residential area. It is also found that the extended family exists more frequently among long-term and affluent urban residents, while the nuclear family type is more frequent among recent and poorer urban migrants. (summary in ENG, SPA)