Vadsø, town, northern Norway. Located on the northern shore of Varangerfjorden, the original settlement was on the adjacent island of Vassøya, but in the early 1700s the port was reestablished on the mainland. Vadsø received its town charter in 1833, and the town prospered, principally through trade with Russia. It was almost totally destroyed by the Germans during World War II but has been rebuilt. The inhabitants, many of whom are Finnish descendants (Kvens), long have depended primarily on fishing and fish processing. Pop. (2007 est.) mun., 6,124.