In general, Countries in Europe and States of the USA are not terribly different in size. When trying to describe a physical location, it makes more sense to consider things comparable if they are similar in a physical aspect -such as size- rather than if they are similar in a more etherial aspect such as political importance.
How much would it help you to picture places on a map of the world if you were told of Plymouth, USA, or Klagenfurt, Carinthia?
Just admit that you are the United States Of Europe and be done with it.
