History

Peace Corps officially established:

March 1, 1961

Total number of Volunteers and trainees to date:

Nearly 200,000

Total number of countries served:

139

Volunteers

Current number of Volunteers and Trainees:

7,671

Gender:

60% female, 40% male

Marital Status:

93% single, 7% married

Minorities:

16% of Peace Corps Volunteers

Average Age:

28

Volunteers over age 50:

7%

Education:

89% have at least an undergraduate degree

Countries and Projects

Current number of countries served:

76 countries

Volunteers by Work Area

• Education: 35%
• Health & HIV/AIDS: 22%
• Business Development: 15%
• Environment: 14%
• Agriculture: 5%
• Youth Development: 5%
• Other: 4%

Where Volunteers Serve

• Africa: 37%
• Latin America: 24%
• Eastern Europe/Central Asia: 20%
• Asia: 7%
• North Africa/Middle East: 4%
• Pacific Islands: 4%
• The Caribbean: 4%

Budget

Fiscal year 2009 budget:

$340 million

Fiscal year 2010 budget:

$400 million

Peace Corps Director

Aaron S. Williams (Dominican Republic 1967-70)

Toll-Free Recruitment Number

800.424.8580

Figures are based on data as of September 30, 2009, except the host country count, which reflects Peace Corps' re-entry into Sierra Leone on November 2, 2009 and Indonesia on December 11, 2009.