use XML::Simple;

my $parser = new XML::Simple(
	forcearray => [qw(AREA LOCALE)],
	suppressempty => '',
);

$data = $parser->XMLin(<<'*END*');
<root>
	<empty></empty>
	<whitespace> </whitespace>
	<full>ahoj</full>
	<with_spaces>  cau  </with_spaces>
</root>
*END*

use Data::Dumper;
print Dumper($data);