What is Peace Corps?

The best place to learn about the Peace Corps is from their own website. It has the most up to date information about the program, and includes pictures, videos, and stories about current and past volunteers. Check out the Peace Corps' interactive map of current and past programs for volunteers.

The three goals in the Peace Corps' mission:
1. Helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
2. Helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
3. Helping promote a better understanding of the other peoples on the part of Americans.

Want to know what Peace Corps volunteers do in each country?
Here's the list.

Fast Facts (taken from the Peace Corps website):

History

• Peace Corps was established on March 1, 1961 by John F. Kennedy
• Total number of volunteers to date exceeds 210,000
• Total number of countries served: 139

Volunteers

• Current number of volunteers and trainees: 8,073
• Gender distribution: 62% female, 38% male
• Marital Status: 93% single, 7% married
• Minorities: 22% of volunteers
• Average Age: 28
• Volunteers over age 50: 7%

Countries and Projects

• Current number of countries served: 76

Volunteers by Work Area

• Education: 43%
• Health: 21%
• Community Economic Development: 12%
• Environment: 12%
• Youth in Development: 6%
• Agriculture: 4%
• Other: 2%

Where Volunteer Serve

• Africa: 43%
• Latin America: 21%
• Eastern Europe/Central Asia: 15%
• Asia: 10%
• The Caribbean: 4%
• North Africa/Middle East: 4%
• Pacific Islands: 3%

Budget

• Fiscal year 2012: $375 million
• Fiscal year 2013: $377 million

Here is a link to the Peace Corps Facebook page.