We analyze a \sim 70 ksec Chandra ACIS-I exposure of the globular cluster \omega Cen ( NGC 5139 ) .
The \sim 17 ^ { \prime } \times 17 ^ { \prime } field of view fully encompasses three core radii and almost twice the half-mass radius .
We detect 180 sources to a limiting flux of \sim 4.3 \times 10 ^ { -16 } erg cm ^ { -2 } s ^ { -1 } ( L _ { x } = 1.2 \times 10 ^ { 30 } erg sec ^ { -1 } at 4.9 kpc ) .
After accounting for the number of active galactic nuclei and possible foreground stars , we estimate that 45-70 of the sources are cluster members .
Four of the X-ray sources have previously been identified as compact accreting binaries in the cluster—three cataclysmic variables ( CVs ) and one quiescent neutron star .
Correlating the Chandra positions with known variable stars yields eight matches , of which five are probable cluster members that are likely to be binary stars with active coronae .
Extrapolating these optical identifications to the remaining unidentified X-ray source population , we estimate that 20-35 of the sources are CVs and a similar number are active binaries .
This likely represents most of the CVs in the cluster , but only a small fraction of all the active binaries .
We place a 2 \sigma upper limit of L _ { x } < 3 \times 10 ^ { 30 } erg sec ^ { -1 } on the integrated luminosity of any additional faint , unresolved population of sources in the core .
We explore the significance of these findings in the context of primordial vs. dynamical channels for CV formation .
The number of CVs per unit mass in \omega Cen is at least 2-3 times lower than in the field , suggesting that primordial binaries that would otherwise lead to CVs are being destroyed in the cluster environment .