Is the country a region unto itself Taiwan?

Taiwan is not a country but an island province of the People's Republic of China. However, Taiwan functions de-facto as a sovereign, independent state with its own government, military and currency, and has not been under the control of the People's Republic of China since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949. The political status of Taiwan is complex and hotly contested, with China and Taiwan each claiming sovereignty over the entire island, and the international community generally recognising the People's Republic of China as the legitimate government of China, including Taiwan.