Rio de Janeiro, Sep 7 (IANS): China has provided the second largest number of registrations for the 2016 Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games volunteer programme which started Aug 28.

According to the official website of the Rio Olympics, one week after registration for the volunteer programme opened, by Sep 4, more than 60,000 people from over 160 countries and regions had registered as candidates for one of the 70,000 positions offered to work at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, reports Xinhua.

Among the people already registered, Brazil as the host country has naturally provided the largest number with 37,903 Brazilians (62 percent of the total).

But one of the eye-catching details is that China, which is far-away from Brazil, has provided the highest number of overseas registrations with 3,204 - 2,595 Russians and 2,318 people from Britain have also registered their interest.

"The eye-catching detail is the impressive number of candidates from countries that have hosted the most recent Olympic and Paralympic Games, illustrating the inspirational effect that hosting the events has on the local population," noted by the Rio organising committee in its release Saturday.

The US has provided the second highest number of foreign registrations with 2,874.

The volunteer registrations opened Aug 28 and will close Nov 15.