There is no exactly default encoding for xml as specification requires
xml processor to support UTF-8 and UTF-16 encoding - for more details
see chapter https://www.w3.org/TR/xml/#charencoding .
Next encoding is required if is not UTF-8 or UTF-16. Actually is more
complicated. Let me quote from specification (same chapter) : "In the
absence of external character encoding information (such as MIME
headers), parsed entities which are stored in an encoding other than
UTF-8 or UTF-16 /MUST/ begin with a text declaration ...."
So if there is no explicit specification of according to standard
encoding is either UTF-8 or UTF-16.
Roumen
