<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><mads xmlns="http://www.loc.gov/mads/" xmlns:mods="http://www.loc.gov/mods/v3" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.loc.gov/mads/
mads.xsd"><authority><topic authority="http://AATesaurus.cultura.gencat.cat/aat/getty_en">sovereign states</topic></authority><related type="narrower"><topic>nations</topic></related><related type="narrower"><topic>empires</topic></related><related type="narrower"><topic>city-states</topic></related><related type="narrower"><topic>suzerains</topic></related><related type="narrower"><topic>countries</topic></related><related type="narrower"><topic>polities</topic></related><related type="narrower"><topic>de jure sovereign states</topic></related><related type="other"><topic>federated states</topic></related><related type="broader"><topic>political administrative bodies by degree of independence</topic></related><variant type="other"><topic>sovereign state</topic></variant><variant type="other"><topic>states, sovereign</topic></variant> <note xml:lang="en"><![CDATA[ Political units, such as nations, that exercise and are recognized internationally as possessing sovereignty. ]]></note></mads>