One of the pillars of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's regime is his ability to control Libya's tribes. Though he has consistently maintained ties with many smaller tribes affiliated with the other officers who formed the Revolutionary Command Council which carried out the 1969 coup that put Gadhafi in power, the foundation of his rule has been maintaining ties between his own tribe and the two largest tribes in the country. Because of the tribes' importance to Gadhafi, a grasp of Libya's tribal dynamics is important in understanding the current conflict in the country. Libya has an estimated 140 tribes, only about 30 of which are viewed as having any real significance. They live in the three historical zones that make up Libya — regions which have only recently been grouped together as one political unit.