20 March 1956
On 20 March 1956, Tunisia gained its independence from France after two years of negotiations between the French and the Neo-Destour (“New Constitution”) party, which was backed by the trade unions. Tunisia, located below the Mediterranean ocean became a constitutional monarchy with the Bey of Tunis, Muhammad VIII al-Amin Bey, as king. In 1957, Habib Bourguiba the country’s Prime Minister, abolished the monarchy and declared the Republic of Tunisia. 
References

Arcli ‘Tunisia’, From:Acrli[online], Available at www.acrli.org [Accessed: 21 February 2012]|The Morden Historian, (2011), ‘On this day in history: Tunisia independence, 1956’, 20 March, [online], Available at: modernhistorian.blogspot.com [Accessed: 21 February 2012]