Yar-Sale was founded in 1927, and in 1932 became the center of Yamalsky District. The village's name comes from the local Nenetsyar, meaning "sandy" and sale, meaning "cape".
As of the 2010 Census, Yar-Sale had 6,486 inhabitants including 3,115 men (48.0%) and 3,371 women (52.0%), accounting for 39.8% of Yamalsky District's total population of 16,310.[2] The village had grown from the previous 2002 Census, which recorded 4,872 inhabitants including 2,291 men (47.0%) and 2,581 women (53.0%).[9]
In recent decades, Yar-Sale grew in connection with the development of natural gas fields in the region. The village also sustains a local trade in processing reindeer, with products sold locally and exported to Germany. There is a museum of local lore in the village.
Yar-Sale Heliport (ICAO airport code: USDR)[10] consists of two helipads: one north and one east of the settlement with the terminal building situated within the actual settlement.
There is regular water and air communication with Salekhard, but land travel is irregular during the rasputitsa seasons.
^Государственная Дума Ямало-Ненецкого автономного округа. Закон №42-ЗАО от 6 октября 2006 г. «Об административно-территориальном устройстве Ямало-Ненецкого автономного округа», в ред. Закона №123-ЗАО от 6 декабря 2012 г. «О внесении изменений в некоторые Законы Ямало-Ненецкого автономного округа в части изменения вида населённого пункт Тазовский путём отнесения его к сельским пунктам и наделении муниципального образования посёлок Тазовский статусом сельского поселения». Вступил в силу по истечении десяти дней со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Красный Север", №119, 13 октября 2006 г. (State Duma of Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Law #42-ZAO of October 6, 2006 On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, as amended by the Law #123-ZAO of December 6, 2012 On Amending Various Laws of Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug Due to Changing the Status of the Inhabited Locality of Tazovsky to a Rural Locality and on Granting the Municipal Formation of the Settlement of Tazovsky the Status of a Rural Settlement. Effective as of the day upon expiration of ten days from the official publication date.).
^Всесоюзная перепись населения 1979 г. Национальный состав населения по регионам России [All Union Population Census of 1979. Ethnic composition of the population by regions of Russia] (XLS). Всесоюзная перепись населения 1979 года [All-Union Population Census of 1979] (in Russian). 1979 – via Demoscope Weekly (website of the Institute of Demographics of the State University—Higher School of Economics.