The statistical Thomas-Fermi model is applied to a comprehensive surve
y of macroscopic nuclear properties. The model uses a Seyler-Blanchard
effective nucleon-nucleon interaction, generalized by the addition of
one momentum-dependent and one density-dependent term. The adjustable
parameters of the interaction were fitted to shell-corrected masses o
f 1654 nuclei, to the diffuseness of the nuclear surface and to the me
asured depths of the optical model potential. With these parameters nu
clear sizes are well reproduced, and only relatively minor deviations
between measured and calculated fission barriers of 36 nuclei are foun
d. The model determines the principal bulk and surface properties of n
uclear matter and provides estimates for the more subtle, Droplet Mode
l, properties. The predicted energy vs. density relation for neutron m
atter is in striking correspondence with the 1981 theoretical estimate
of Friedman and Phandaripande [1]. Other extreme situations to which
the model is applied are a study of Sn isotopes from Sn-82 to Sn-170,
and the rupture into a bubble configuration of a nucleus (constrained
to spherical symmetry) which takes place when Z(2)/A exceeds about 100
.