I think the first thing they teach you in J-School is "never let the facts get in the way of a good story"
I have heard Sting refering to their break up at the end of 1983. The officially never broke up.. so they say. However, they did pay their last concert on the Synchronicity tour in Australia in 1984 and then reunited for three show for Amnesty International in 1986.
They always mainted they never officially broke up. Just an extremely long hiatus!