a city in the Federal Republic of Germany, on the Saar River. Capital of Saarland. Junction for international transportation. Center of the Saar Coal Basin. Population, 205,100 (1976). The city has ferrous metallurgy and general and transportation machine building, as well as electrical engineering, chemical, and printing industries. There are enterprises in the food industry (including a brewery) and in light industries. Saarbrücken has a university (founded 1948) and a conservatory. The city is a trade fair center.