across the region - from one end of the region to the other, spanning the entire region. It is something that is occurring in all different parts of the region (area) not just one or two places. "so as to" versus "and so .....as to" - your question here is next to impossible to answer. They could mean essentially the same thing and they could mean very different things. Without context, especially relating to the missing words represented by the ellipsis, I just cannot anser the question.