The U.S. Peace Corps says it has reached a 37-year high in the number of volunteers serving overseas.

The agency says 8,079 volunteers are serving in 74 countries around the world.

Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter says the figure is a reflection of what he calls the "great American spirit of volunteerism."

The agency was founded in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy as part of a global initiative to fight poverty, disease and war.

Since its founding, more than 190,000 Peace Corps volunteers have served in fields such as education, health, environment, agriculture and business development.