Bely Yar is an urban township, the regional center of the Altai District. It is located on the banks of River Abakan, at the 25 km distance from the railway station Abakan. The town has the population of 10014 people (as of 2010), including Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, Khakas, Germans, Mordva and Estonians.

Public funds to the total amount of 2834224 rubles were spent on investments of the regional center to build standard premises for organizations and institutions. As a result the regional center has got a standard regional recreation center, a regional veterinary clinic, a regional hospital, a power plant, a regional industrial combine, and other objects.

Now the large enterprises of the town are Razrez Izykhsky JSC (coal mining), Altay DRSU SUE (road building and repair), Altayskoye CJSC (agricultural production) and the Altai consumer society.

Bely Yar has a high comprehensive school, a special correction school, a children's music school, a museum of local lore, a library, etc.