Android is not a GNU/Linux distro but its Kernel (its powerhouse) is Linux and since it is the convention that a collection of software put together around the Linux Kernel is referred to as Linux, Android is Linux. Android is an open source OS that was first created by Android Inc.

Does my Android use Linux?

Android is built upon the Linux kernel, a software stack that interfaces with the hardware of a device. It basically enables an operating system to communicate with the device—whether that’s a PC, a smartphone, or other hardware. … So while Android uses the Linux kernel, it doesn’t offer a desktop environment.

What is better Android or Linux?

Linux is developed majorly for personal and office system users, Android is built peculiarly for mobile and tablet kind of devices. Android holds a larger footprint comparative to LINUX. Usually, multiple architecture support is provided by Linux and Android supports only two major architectures, ARM and x86.