Present view of stability of heavy and superheavy nuclei

Recent theoretical studies of the stability of heavy and superheavy nuclei are shortly reviewed. Even-even nuclei with proton number Z=82—120 and neutron number N=126—190 are considered. The important role of the shell structure in nuclear stability was illustrated. Much attention is given to deformed superheavy nuclei, which are expected to be on the way to the long-discussed, hypothetical spherical superheavy nuclei.