Varissuo

Varissuo

*Varissuo* (Finnish), *Kråkkärret* (Swedish)
Varissuo Varissuo (Finnish), Kråkkärret (Swedish)
District of Turku
	Coordinates: 60°26′N 22°20′E / 60.433°N 22.333°E
Country	Finland
Region	Southwest Finland
City	Turku
Established	1970s
Area
• Total	1.112 km2 (0.429 sq mi)
Population
• Total	~9,000
Postal code	20610

Varissuo (/ˈvɑrɪs.suo/ VAH-ris-suo; Finnish: Varissuo [ˈʋɑris.suo]; Swedish: Kråkkärret (/ˈkrɔːkˌɕærːɛt/) is a district and the largest suburb of the city of Turku, in Finland. It is located seven kilometres to the east of the city centre, and is the easternmost major suburb of Turku, bordering on the neighbouring city of Kaarina. Varissuo has 9,000 inhabitants, the majority of whom are foreign immigrants. It is thus the second largest district of Turku, after Runosmäki. The name consists of the words varis, meaning "crow" and suo, meaning "bog" or "swamp".

15.72% of Varissuo's population are under 15 years old, while 12.56% are over 65. Around 60% of the population speaks an immigrant language, reflecting the suburb's wide cultural variety.^[1] 90% of students at Varissuo school speak a mother tongue other than Finnish or Swedish.^[2] The suburb was constructed from scratch on an area of previously uninhabited wetland (suo in Finnish) starting in the mid-1970s as migration from rural areas to the city increased heavily in volume.

Varissuo has several schools, a library, an underground ice arena, a Lutheran church, a health centre, a post office and a social security (KELA) office. In addition, the Itäkeskus shopping centre is located in Varissuo, as well as a University of Turku teacher training school (Turun normaalikoulu) and Turku International School. As many other parts of Turku, Varissuo has many public transport connections, with frequent bus links to the city centre as well as other nearby districts and cities.

Varissuo has a very high percentage of immigrants who lack proficiency in the Finnish language; many speak a form of Finnish known as Varissuomi with simplified grammar and a limited vocabulary.^[3]^[4]

History

Varissuo is one of Turku’s newer suburbs, developed in the mid-1970s to accommodate the city’s rapidly growing population resulting from migration from rural areas. The district was constructed on previously undeveloped wetland, featuring apartment buildings, schools, health services, and other community facilities designed to create a functional residential area.

Beginning in the late 1980s and continuing through the 1990s and 2000s, Varissuo became a primary settlement area for immigrants and refugees arriving in Finland. Individuals fleeing conflicts and hardships in countries such as Vietnam, Somalia, Iraq, and the former Yugoslavia settled in the district, attracted by affordable housing and proximity to Turku’s city center. The establishment of immigrant communities contributed to Varissuo’s development as one of Finland’s most multicultural districts.

Despite social and economic challenges related to integration, Varissuo remains a vibrant and diverse neighbourhood with active community services and well-developed public transportation connections, continuing to evolve as an integral part of Turku’s urban landscape.