For my fantasy dnd world I am detailing the dwarven people and have come up with the idea to have no one centralised territory, but instead make the nation consist of many citadels that are self sustaining and managing, but serve under the dwarven government and function under the same culture. What would this type of nation be? I’ve considered dependency, colony, empire, etc, but they don’t feel like they quite fit the image I have.

Thank you for any help.

Edit: Thanks to all the amazing help from all your comments I have made the decision to call the dwarven nation The United Dwarven City States. Thank you all again for all your helps, it’s very much appreciated.

Edit 2: Upon another suggestion, I have changed the name to ‘The Federation of Dwarven City-states’ I think it would likely be shortened to something like ‘The Dwarven Federation’.