(BEIJING, Feb. 1) -- More than 320,000 people have applied to become volunteers for the Beijing Olympic Games since the recruitment started five months ago, according to the Volunteer Department of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG).

Statistics show that as of January 31 this year, a total of 327,287 applicants were registered, including 256,180 in the Beijing area and 71,107 outside Beijing. The recruitment was launched on August 28, 2006 for Beijing residents and the recruitment from other areas started on January 19 this year.

The department said 71 percent of the Beijing applicants are university students and teachers.

In addition, Beijing has registered over 700,000 hotline calls or messages seeking information about the matter.

The Beijing Olympic Games need about 70,000 volunteers and the Beijing Paralympic Games another 30,000. Additional 400,000 urban volunteers are needed for Games-time services in key areas around the Olympic venues. They will also provide services in transport, tourism, shopping and media accreditation. More than one million community volunteers will engage in routine services in Beijing's urban and rural areas.

The recruitment of volunteers from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan will begin in March and that of urban and community volunteers will be launched in June, officials said.