JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<select class="select-box" name="select-choice-month" id="select-locations">
  <option id="select_option_1">Select Region</option>
  <option id="select_option_2" value="eu">Europe</option>
  <option id="select_option_3" value="nam">North America</option>
  <option id="select_option_4" value="sam">Latin America</option>
  <option id="select_option_5" value="aspa">Asia/Pacific</option>
</select>
<div id="map-menu">
    <a href="#" id="anchor_option_3">North America</a>
    <a href="#" id="anchor_option_4">Latin America</a>
    <a href="#" id="anchor_option_5">Asia/Pacific</a>
</div><!-- end of map-menu -->

JavaScript

$('#map-menu a').click(function() {
    var option_id = this.id.replace('anchor', 'select');
    var select = $('#select-locations');
    var option_to_select = $('option[id="' + option_id + '"]', select);
    select.val(option_to_select.val()).change();
});
$('#select-locations').change(function() {
    alert('Changed');
});