Its a multi-purpose flying boat. It can operate as a small passenger plane, a waterbomber, emergency evacuation airlifter (for a sinking ship, for example) or search and rescue, obviously aided by its amphibious qualities. It also has a starboard cargo door and can be configured to carry various sized pallets.
The design is based off of Beriev's A-40 (Be-42) Albatros military design, which is slightly larger but aside from the nose shape and pontoon positioning, essentially the same aircraft. The Be-200 also includes an anti-submarine warfare variant.
Beriev, a Russian company with a long history of flying boats is currently exhibiting the aircraft in various European and Asian countries, looking for buyers. Greece and Indonesia are currently operating these aircraft, and Portugal is expected to purchase 4 after a very satisfactory evaluation of two of the aircraft, despite the crash of one.