ESCH-SUR-ALZETTE

town, southern Luxembourg, on the upper Alzette River, southwest of Luxembourg city, near the French border. A small village until 1870, it has become the second largest town in Luxembourg, largely because of the local phosphoric iron ore. The centre of the country's iron and steel industry, it has several large steelworks located on its outskirts and in the surrounding area. Slag fertilizer is a by-product. The town also has an important foodstuffs industry. Pop. (1990) 24,012.